My Word is Law
by Lord Farsight
Summary: Wounded. Betrayed. Banished. A ninja dies, an ermit stands. Despaired. Betrayed. Banished. An heiress falls, an Empress rises. Hunted. Betrayed. Banished. An orphan fades, a general roars. As the lights of the East and West meet, a veil of peace falls on the world. NaruxHinaxFu
1. Chapter 1

_**Author Notes**_

_Hello people. First off, the disclaimer._

_I don't own Naruto or any character displayed in it.  
_

_Now that it's done, I'm not gonna repost it at each chapter. Second, I'm french, English is not my maternal language, so if I make any mistake, please point them out, it'll help me, thanks a lot ^^. Now, about the story. If any of you took the time to go look at my profile you'll se it's my first Naruto fanfic, so please, be nice, don't flame too much. Next, I should warn you, I'm currently writing the fifth (and hopefully last) chapter of this story. The fact is, I already wrote a handful of fics but published none since I couldn't bring myself to finish them, so it's kind of a first there. Since the story is almost finished, I can plan a regular update schedule. So, I'll publish a chapter every thursday (don't hesitate to mail me if I forget).  
_

_Now, onto the story !  
_

* * *

Konoha was the oldest of the Hidden Villages, the eldest of this very violent family, but certainly not the wiser. Nearly thirteen years after the Kyubi attacked the village, a defection had occurred, the betrayal of the last Uchiha in the village, Sasuke. Due to the recent Sand-Sound invasion, the village was forced to put the weight of an enormous amount of missions on a thinned force. Ninja's that were used to have time and lounge a bit in their free time were suddenly forced to work day and night to ensure the village still appeared strong to the other powers. This sudden drop of the ninja presence in the village left plenty of occasions for the deserters, and Sasuke Uchiha took one such occasion. Because of this lack of experienced ninja, the Hokage was forced to send a squad of Genin after the traitor and his unknown escort. It was an utter miracle that the Sound Four were defeated and an even bigger miracle when it appeared that, despite heavy injuries and two near death cases, there were no death. However, that was where the miracles stopped. Despite Uzumaki Naruto's best efforts, he failed, and Sasuke Uchiwa left.

Sasuke was viewed by the leaf civilians as their little prince and such an event did not sit well with them. In their rage, they did what they had done for the last thirteen years. They blamed the innocent. The civilians became enraged, shouting it was Naruto's fault, that he caused Sasuke's desertion, not realizing in their narrow minds that he was the one that could have avoided it. In their fury, they began demanding the banishment of the blond and when it was refused, an insurrection erupted. A good 90% of the civilian population of the village went against the Hokage. Drawn by the smell of blood, some ninja clans and shinobi of various renown came to support the motion putting Tsunade in front of a full scale revolt. At first, she began to repress the insurrection, but defections inside the Anbu forced her to bow to avoid the civil war. She was the one to tell Naruto of this, to tell him that, in order to save his life, she had to crush his dream. Tsunade was the first to admit that it was a bitter defeat, and Naruto had completely collapsed when he heard that. It was grief stricken that Naruto had been released from the hospital. Jiraya soon came to him with an offer. He would take him as an apprentice, make him stronger than any ninja in Konoha, so powerful that they would be forced to beg him to come back and make him Hokage. Of course, Naruto knew it was his only sliver of hope, so he went for it without any second thoughts. However, the village wasn't finished. A particularly vicious jonin with some skills in fuinjutsu decided that banishment was not enough, so he captured Naruto, tortured him for hours and then crushed his last hope by sealing off all of his chakra permanently. The seal had been engraved in his blood using a forbidden and particularly painful ritual, and even a seal master as experienced as Jiraya could do nothing about it. Kakashi, which was in the village in between mission, was the first to find Naruto after he savagely murdered his tormentor. The blood covered blond was crying in a corner of the basement of the Jonin, crying over the dream that had been taken away from him once again.

Jiraya and Tsunade did not know what to do anymore. Naruto was going to be banished, and now he didn't even had the means to defend himself. Two days before the banishment, while they were desperately trying to find a solution, Naruto beat them to the punch, deciding to leave the village on his own and disappear. The shattered blond was walking through the village, walking slowly to the gates, so focused that he became oblivious to the taunts and insults sent his way. As he walked through the market, the villagers did one last mistake. A villager, out of spite, threw a knife at him. Without even looking, Naruto blocked it in between his fingers. The other villagers, irritated, began insulting him louder and louder, until one of them snapped and tried to stab the blond with a knife. Inside the teen, something broke, and so began what would be later remembered as the Marketplace Slaughter. When the Anbu arrived, they were shocked. The market was bloodied, bodies littered the floors, the wounded and the dying were crying in pain, and Naruto was calmly walking down the street, a bloody knife in each hand. The shock was so great that none stopped the blond from leaving. As Naruto disappeared behind the horizon, the village realized what happened, how a seemingly harmless child had slaughtered over fifty people, how he could have done so for years, how he just went with pranks. They realized that they went too far, and maybe created the very demon they accused him of being for so long. Fear began to spread.

In this context of shock and sorrow, the Hyuga elders acted. Taking advantage of one of Hiashi's training trips with Hanabi, they branded Hinata with the Caged-bird seal before forcing her through a painful and humiliating ritual resulting in a seal that would kill her if she ever became pregnant. Once their deed was done, they took advantage of Tsunade's sorrow to make her sign the banishment of the young girl. In less than a day, the already emotionally battered Hinata had lost her title of heiress, her status as a leaf ninja and her home. She set off to the wild, stumbling on shaking legs, vaguely hoping to meet her crush along the way, but knowing deep down that she would not. When Tsunade realized what she had signed, she frantically tried to erase the act, but it was too late. When Hiashi came back with his youngest, he was met with the news. His first reaction was to ask coldly if it was a joke of any kind, but the Hokage's red eyes told him otherwise. Slowly, realization and horror dawned on his usually impassive face. Hanabi, shocked, asked her father what would happen of his sister, but Hiashi did not answered with words, but with tears. Two days later, the elders were executed in front of the whole clan by Hiashi himself. He then quickly sent as many search teams as possible to find his daughter and bring her back, hopping that Jiraya could get rid of, at least, the degrading seal that prevented her from giving birth; but it was quickly revealed that the girl had, for all intent, disappeared.

Roughly at the same time, in Taki, a thirteen years old girl with pale green hair was driven out of the village by a mob of villagers, civilians and ninja alike. Her one crime was to be the container of the Shichibi, and because of that she was hunted down. It was, sadly, quite a common occurrence in her life. They would first attack her small house, breaking the windows and furniture, damaging the walls and such, then they would hunt her to the outskirts of the village where she would wait a few days then go back. The leader of the village, her uncle, never really paid attention to any of this because she always came back, but not this time. Her house had been burnt down, she had lost everything and her own blood-father had turned his back on her, she had no more reasons to stay. With one last hateful look at Taki, she left, to the West and it's unknown and savage lands.

* * *

The night had fallen on the palace, engulfing the throne room in dreadful shadows. A man stood there with eight guards around him, frightened. He was not afraid of the guards but of the shadowy figure seating on the throne, only their feet visible.

"Y-y-you can't do that! You can't! I'll have you killed if you even dare to think of that!" Threatened the man, but it was for naught, his voice too laced with fear. The person on the throne made a motion of their tiny, delicate hand, and three corpses fell from the ceiling. The man was now visibly shaking.

"No! I … I'll give you wealth! I can give you anything! Even you must need things I sell! I … I …"

The sound of snapping fingers was his only answer as a guard drew his sword.

"I … I don't want to die…" For the first and last time, the man heard the voice belonging to the occupant of the throne, strangely calm and gentle, but laced with overwhelming authority.

"I … am an Empress. My word … is law." A sword cut through the night, and silence fell on the palace again.

* * *

Naruto was sitting, looking at the ocean, like he so often did during the last six years, his memories passing before his eyes. After his painful banishment and last act of violence, he went to Wave and settled there. Of course, the country had been enraged with the way Konoha had treated him and reacted accordingly by shutting all trade agreements with Konoha and severely reducing their trade with Fire country. The entire country stood by his side, never moving, not even when he revealed everything about the Kyubi. The argument had been closed when Tazuna bellowed that demons don't help people. With Wave's newfound freedom came a little bit more of comfort. During one of his afternoons at the port, helping the fishers, Naruto asked one of them why they didn't traded with countries other than Fire Country since they were ideally placed to reach Tea, Lightning and Water country. This led to a council from the mayors of the country, and then the creation of a trade port to test the idea. Within the first month, the port had been flooded and money had flown into the country as it evolved into a trade platform of great importance. With the money came luxuries the country could not afford before, like a large library. Naruto had spent all of his free time in the library, doing something he never did in the leaf: learning. During his years, he had accumulated an impressive sum of knowledge. People began to come to seek advice three years after he left Konoha, and he had seen quite a lot of people. Envoys from several curious Daimyo, traders and even his former teammate Sasuke. The blond smiled amusedly thinking of their two meetings. The first was soon after he killed the snake that trained him and the avenger didn't asked for any advice, and the second had been soon after he learned the truth on his brother and this time he did seek advices.

The true leader of the Akastuki went to him, to capture him he said, and cynically offered him the occasion to advise him. He had exposed his plan, expecting the usual moral arguments. But Naruto had moved past the point where his arguments were fully moral. He had calmly explained why his plan was useless, how it would only delay the wars, how it would bring unnecessary and useless pain to the world, how his inheritors would fight over the power left behind. The masked man grew more and more fierce, trying to defend his idea, only to see it methodically shot down. In the end, he left, defeated and disillusioned, his only determination left being to tell Sasuke the truth and die by his hand. Before he left, he gave Naruto a present that he didn't awaited anymore: the name of his parents. The information left him moping around for some time, but in the end he got over it and went on with his life. Soon after, Sasuke came to see him again. He was lost, he didn't know who to hate or what to do anymore. He told his former friend everything, how his clan betrayed Konoha and how Itachi killed them to save the village. Naruto's answer was to find Itachi, talk to him, and maybe find a way to bring him back to Konoha while clearing his name, but he warned Sasuke that it would be at the cost of his clan's honor. Three months later, Sasuke had surrendered to Konoha and revealed everything of the Uchiha Revolt, Itachi had been called back, decorated for his service going beyond what could be normally asked, and due to the population pressure, Sasuke had only been condemned to two years of jail. Soon after he had surrendered, Tsunade and Jiraya came to see Naruto with those of the rookies that did not thought ill of him and were free. After the Kyubi issue had been made public knowledge, they were a handful. Shino didn't speak much, but what he said was meaningful, Lee had been as exuberant as he remembered him to be, Neji had been warmer than anyone would have thought and, surprisingly, Shikamaru had been quite excited to see him again. Among those that weren't there, Choji didn't exactly knew what to think of him, Sakura was too ashamed to see him, Tenten didn't really knew him, Ino was completely freaked out by the Kyubi, as for Kiba, he was putting the responsibility for Hinata's banishment on the blonde's shoulders. Thinking of the Hyuga heiress, Naruto felt his old heartache come back. Even in Wave, he had heard of the banishment of the Hyuga heiress and had quickly set off to find her. Three months of intense research had led to nothing, and when he came back, he was crying softly. Only then had he learned she had been banished for standing up for him. It was still something he would cry over.

Feeling a presence behind him, Naruto looked above his shoulder curiously before smiling warmly at the Iwa nin.

"Namikaze-sama, Tsuchikage-sama and Raikage-sama are waiting for you.

"Oh c'mon Ryu-san, I already told you, no need to go with the –sama thingy, I'm just an ermit."

"Yet you already avoided a major conflict and two minor wars."

"Ah, err, yeah, that. Oh, well. Let's go, A-san is not the most patient guy ever, and it's worse when Bee's around." Getting up, Naruto dusted his beige coat. Underneath it, he wore a dark blue kimono and black sandals. His hair had grown wilder with the years, showing more his lineage.

The two men began walking toward the Town hall, where the two Kage were waiting for Naruto. It had been quite a surprise to the blond when the Raikage had sent an envoy asking for his mediation during a political conflict with the Tsuchikage, and even more of a surprise when Onoki had accepted while it was evident his father was the Yellow Flash. In the end, everything worked out fine and a bloody conflict was avoided. Following this, several small villages asked him the same and Naruto managed to avoid some more wars. Right now, Naruto had been asked to be the witness of the peace treaty between Kumo and Iwa, an achievement he was very proud of. As he came inside the building, he had the pleasing surprise to see that A and Onoki were talking together, mostly complaining about paperwork, while in a corner, Kurotsuchi was shamelessly messing with a Kumo jonin. Seeing the blond was there, the two leaders stopped talking and smiled contentedly at him.

"Ah, so you finally decided to join us. Tired of watching the sea?"

"Heh, never. But if I left you two unattended, you would probably come up with some evil plan to get rid of the world's paperwork."

"And how is that evil?"

"Dunno, but I'm sure you could make it evil."

A burst into laughter, slamming a hand on Naruto's back, who didn't even flinched.

"Alright Namikaze, ready to sign your first peace treaty?"

"You make it sound like there will be more."

"Heh, you managed to erase the tensions between Kumo and Iwa, young man. With that mind of yours, I'm willing to bet you could even bring peace between my village and Konoha. It would be ironically fitting considering who your father was."

"Yeah. Well maybe another day, for now we have a treaty to sign!"

With a nod, the two kage took their place, and signed the treaty; it was then Naruto's turn to do so. With this treaty, a new era was beginning, and maybe peace would come forth. After such a short act, they all felt a sense of accomplishment completely disproportionate, but they didn't care. An overly enthusiastic A asked to the mayor, Tazuna, if they could stay here to celebrate a bit, which was of course accepted without any complaint. Naruto and the others then left the building, only to be welcomed by a surprising, and for the two leaders, angering view. Two peoples, a man and a woman, wearing the cloak of the Akatsuki. Immediately, the two leaders were ready to fight, but Naruto stopped them.

"No. There will be no fighting."

"What? Are you kidding? They're here for you!"

"He is right young one, they will kill you."

"I don't fear death."

"You can all calm down, we are not here to fight." Uneasily said the woman.

The Iwa and Kumo nin, relax ever so slightly and studied the two Akatsuki before them. The man was a redheaded middle-aged man and the woman had blue hair with a piercing in the lower lip. Naruto faced them with a smile.

"Well, if you are not here to fight, then maybe you would like to ask for an advice?"

"How?"

"Excuse me sir? I quite didn't catch that since you were whispering." Naruto asked sheepishly

"How? How can you, with just words, swat away decades of hatred? How is such a thing possible?"

At first, everyone was silent, but a sad smile appeared on Naruto's face.

"Then you must be Nagato and Konan. Jiraya-sensei told me about you two. I take it Yahiko perished. It is sad. *sigh* Such a question cannot be answered quickly, come, we will be more at ease to talk around a cup of tea. But I must ask one last thing."

Turning to the two leaders with hope in his eyes, the blond asked the question he ever asked when either of them came nearby. "Do you have any news of her?" Onoki only lowered his head with a sigh while A shook his head solemnly. "I see. Once again, thank you for your continuous efforts." Bidding his farewell, Naruto led the leaders of Ame to his house, a small house that reflected the way of life he choose to adopt. Sitting them at the table, he quickly prepared some tea, before beginning to answer their question. When they left the next morning, Nagato was humbled in many ways. While the Akastuki leaders were crossing the bridge, Naruto saw a familiar silhouette coming toward him. Sending a surprised glance at the two Ame nin and returning an uneasy greeting, the black-haired Konoha Jonin continued on his way. Sasuke had changed a lot, and that was seen in both his attitude and clothing. He was now wearing proudly his Konoha flak jacket, a black Haori bearing the Uchiha crest on his back above it and a sword strapped to his back. As he reached Naruto, he greeted him with a warm yet hesitant smile.

"Naruto."

"Sasuke. I think I know why you're here. You want me to go back to Konoha."

"Yes. It's your home after all, you belong there."

"No, I don't. This village has insulted me, ridiculed me, tortured me ad broken my one dream … twice. And now that my father's name is known, they want me to go back? No. Besides, here I can make the difference, I can bring peace."

"… Are you sure?"

"Hell yeah! Just yesterday I signed a peace treaty between Iwa and Kumo! Isn't that awesome?" Asked Naruto with one of his biggest grins.

"*sigh* It will forever be beyond me how you can swing from dead serious to overly happy in just a second. But that was not what I meant."

"I know. But I will stand by my decision. My friends know where to find me and they can come whenever they want. Even Kiba came by. It was to break my face but, oh well. I always healed fast."

"Is there any way to make you change your mind?"

"Tell me Hinata-chan is back in Konoha and I just might think about it." Said naruto, looking away.

"That's not funny."

"That's not a joke."

Seeing his friend's seriousness, Sasuke's head dropped.

"Naruto … nobody heard of her in six years … and she wasn't that strong … I know it's hard to accept but … She's probably dead."

"I know."

"And you will let that hold you back? That's not the Naruto I know."

"That Naruto died six years ago. Do you really think you could know the new one with barely three meetings?"

"One thing is for sure. You changed."

"Yeah. Oh, but where are my manners!"

"You never had any."

"Well that changed too! Come on, let's go to my house."

Naruto then led the Uchiha to his house, light talking keeping their minds distracted along the way.

* * *

Far from there, to the west, in the capital of a young empire, a blue haired beauty awoke to the peaceful face of her mint-haired lover. Like her, she was from the east and had been thrown out of one of the hidden villages. They formed one of the most unlikely couples. The strong willed container and the once meek heiress. But Hinata was far past that point. Her banishment had made her bitter, her inability to bear life making her even angrier. She had met Fuu on the way to the West, and they became friends due to shared pains and the fact Hinata didn't cared about Fuu's bijuu. They grew closer in the West, and quickly an objective came to their minds: unify the lands to help it's people. For four years they had battled the warlords that ruled these lands and had won many victories, until finally an Empire was born. Fuu was the first general, and an exceptional one at that, she knew how to motivate the troops while still being able to negotiate a treaty on the fly. Hinata, on the other hand, was the real leader. She was the initiator of the Unification war, and many battles had been avoided when her voice rang. She was told to be able to bend even the most stubborn to her will with words alone, and she had an incredible talent to manage complex tasks. During the war, Fu and Hinata had grown even closer, until they became lovers. It was after an awfully bloody battle, Fuu was depressed, and Hinata had tried to comfort her. After Fuu's cries died down, they had stayed looking at each other's eyes for several minutes before kissing softly. Since then, they stood at each other's side, supporting their lover with unshakable faith. The young empire prospered under Hinata's rule and peace was reigning over the land. Now, it was time to look to the east once more, to look for her old crush, and maybe see if he could be more. Fuu knew that Hinata's feelings were still strong for the blond, Hinata had confessed it herself, but she didn't mind, as long as Hinata still loved her she was willing to share (with the added condition of being allowed to have her way with the blond). _'Soon Naruto-kun, soon.'_

With a smile, Hinata concentrated once again on her beloved Fuu. As always, they had slipped under the silk of the sheets naked, enjoying the touch of the soft material against their skin. Besides, it allowed for some morning fun. Like right now. With a mischievous smile, Hinata began to fondle one of Fuu's breast while her other hand went to grope the girl's backside, earning a soft moan as an answer. As Hinata continued to caress her lover, she began to kiss the tanned skin of her beloved, beginning with the neck before slowly going down until she reached the jinchuriki's chest. There, she stopped for some time, kissing lovingly the right mound while caressing the left. Meanwhile, her left hand was slowly making it way to Fuu's womanhood, feeling and hearing her arousal along the way. To Hinata's ears, her lover's moans and pants were music. Finally coming out of her dreams and into the blissful reality, Fu began to stir, moaning a bit more loudly as her hands travelled to Hinata's head, caressing her hair lovingly.

"Hmm, you sure know how to wake me up love."

"Oh, you're awake? But I'm not done." Purred Hinata.

"Let's pretend I'm still sleeping, Okay? Hmmm."

With a soft giggle, Hinata went back to caressing the girl's body, leaving the chest to slowly go further down, her head slowly disappearing under the sheets as her left hand came back to please the abandoned breast. After a few moments, Fu took a sharp intake of air, moaning now more loudly than before, spasms of pleasure coursing through her body as her chest began to rise faster and more erratically and her hips began to buck on their own accord while her back was arching. Hinata slowly and lovingly led Fuu to the brinks of her release, keeping her there for a long time, making the usually unbreakable general putty in her hands. After what seemed like hours of the sweet torture, Hinata finally allowed Fu to reach her peak, making the mint-haired woman moan loudly in pleasure. Coming out from under the sheets, Hinata slowly kissed her way up Fuu's body, stopping at her lips as their bodies melted against each other, their chests pressed together, and their hands roaming the back of their lover. Finally pulling out of the kiss, a very flushed and panting Fuu looked at Hinata. "Maybe we … should take it to … the shower … you know … to avoid … ruining the sheets." With a smile, Hinata kissed her lover and, still kissing her, led her to the shower.

After they were done with playing around in the hot water, the Imperial couple left the comfort of their apartments and walked to Hinata's office. The Empress was clothed in a simple dark blue yukata embroidered with a golden dragon and low-heeled sandals, while her consort was wearing black cargo pants, a dark green armor on her chest above a black shirt, a dark orange Haori with golden rings on her shoulders and in the middle of her back, dark green forearm protections to go with her armor and reinforced low-heeled sandals. As she grew, Hinata had let her hair grow and they were now flowing past her waist, two shoulder-long strands framing her face, Fuu on the other hand had mostly retained her childhood hairstyle, only letting a long strand of hair grow to mid-back length and decorating it with golden pearls. Once in the office, they began working on their paperwork, Hinata dealing with it the fastest. Due to years of dealing with such pain, she knew exactly where to look to quickly know what was involved. Even if she trained Fuu, the mint-haired war master was more at ease on a battlefield or a training ground than facing paper enemies. Luckily there were few papers to work on this day and they quickly finished their work.

"Okay Hina-chan, the Kazekage should be here soon. Heh, I wish you were there when I talked to his envoy. The guy was ultra-laid back, and damn weird with that, can you believe he was wearing make-up?"

"Make-up? Was he using puppets?"

"Don't know, I didn't fight him, but he did have scrolls on his back. He was also wearing some kind of cat cosplay."

"Kankuro of the Hidden Sand, nicknamed the Lord of Puppets. He fought Sasori of the red sands head on and even stole half of his puppets and all of his most powerful ones."

"Huh? So he's a badass? Well he still went pale when he learned who I am. Looks like the War Lady is known to the East too."

"So it seems. I didn't paid much attention to the politics in the Suna, I wonder who is the Kazekage …"

"I heard it's a guy with huge bags under his eyes, and that he used to be a psycho."

"Gaara-san …"

"You know him?"

"He is the container of the Ichibi. Maybe he knows where Naruto-kun is …"

"I sure hope so, I wanna meet that guy."

Hinata smiled at Fuu's brash announcement. As she was about to answer, a knock was heard at the door. Fuu opened it to see a servant. The man elegantly bowed and informed them that the Suna envoy had arrived. Thanking him, the two women rose to their feet, Hinata grabbing her veil on the way. She never appeared before strangers with her face unobscured, it was both a way of protection and intimidation. Her eyes were a source of superstition and one of the reasons of her charisma. She was believed to be blind yet able to see into the soul of those before her. Putting on her dark blue veil, she entered the throne room and sat on the throne. The room was gigantic, a dozen of 5 feet large painted columns were lining the long dark gold carpet leading to the throne with smaller ones behind them, each pillar engraved in honor of one of the summon clans that supported the rise of the Empire. The Crane, Lion, Panther, Fox, Tanuki, Wolf and Raven clans were among the most notable. Samurai wearing the dark yellow armor of the Empire stood guard in the halls, and shinobi of the innumerable clans of the Empire were hiding in the ceiling. At the end of the enormous hall stood the throne, a golden chair with dragon decorations. The wall behind the throne was decorated with wooden statues of dragons, their slender silhouettes snaking on the wall. The five dragons presented were the most powerful of the dragon clan, the personal summons of the empress. How she came to impress such beasts, no one knew, but it was a mark of her might and wisdom everyone bowed to. As she sat on the throne, Hinata Hyuga ceased to be, replaced by the Blind Empress, the Dragon of the West, conqueror of a thousand kingdoms.

When Gaara entered the room with his escort, he instantly felt intimidated by the place. His trip in the Empire already showed him that the West enjoyed gigantic buildings, but this was insane. The room was at least two story tall, the sheer number of guards patrolling here was overkill, and on the throne stood a woman that was told to be the most powerful kunoichi to ever walk the face of the earth, her close second standing by her side. _'I wonder if coming here was such a good idea.'_ Glancing at his escort, he could see Temari looking at the columns in awe, Kankuro gazing anxiously at Fuu, the War Lady, war master of the Empire, and Matsuri looking ill at ease. With a sigh and a prayer, Gaara began his walk to his possible impending doom. Once close enough to the throne, he bowed deeply, waiting for the Empress to talk, and his wait was short.

"Kazekage-dono, what do I owe the pleasure?" Asked the powerful woman in a polite, yet warm tone.

"Empress-sama, I am here today to know what your intentions toward Wind Country are. Our Daimyo is growing nervous, the strength of your army is well known."

"If you are worried for your independence, then do not worry anymore, I do not intend to invade Wind country."

"That is most fortunate, I am sure my Lord will be relieved. Perhaps trade agreements would help cement the peace between our countries? We are most interested in the goods from the West."

"Trade is always welcome for it ensures peace." Hinata smiled behind her veil. She had them just where she wanted and it had been easier than she had hoped. Someone would have to go to Wind to negotiate those treaties, which in turn would give Hinata a good insight of the politics of the East without revealing herself too much. With a small wave of her hand, Hinata motioned Fuu closer and, once close enough, began to discuss quietly with her. After a minute, Fu left the room.

"My right hand, Fuu, will accompany you and represent me in those negotiations. She will be ready shortly and you can then leave at your convenience. Though, I would be most pleased if you stayed a bit and enjoyed the facilities at your disposal."

Gaara bowed, thanking the Empress. After five years of politic, he knew how to discern a polite dismissal and a gracious invitation, and this was definitely the later. He kept replaying the exchange in his head as a guard led them to their apartments. Once there, he sat down in a very comfortable armchair, sighing heavily. Immediately noticing, Matsuri went to the young Kage, worried.

"Gaara-kun? What is it?"

"She was pleased. Pleased enough to invite us to stay as long as we want. I said something that satisfied her greatly and I just can't put my finger on it."

"You think there's something fishy?" Asked Kankuro, still clearly nervous. "I'd be careful with these guys. I heard the Empress can summon dragons and that the War Lady managed to defeat one in duel."

"That's a show of power, not of subtlety." Remarked Temari. "Is there any other thing we should be wary of?"

"Yeah sis, there is. The Empress is sending us a Jinchuriki that is actually in good terms with her bijuu, she can take the Shichibi's form anytime she wants if our reports are accurate."

"Oh. That's bad. But she is supposed to negotiate a treaty, right? What would be the point of lying on that? If they want to invade us, wouldn't they first try to intimidate us into giving in?"

"That they would." Said Gaara. "The Empress wants this treaty. But not for trade alone. Could it be she is interested in the East? But if so, why not directly invade it? Perhaps it is knowledge she seeks … In any way, I don't think we have to worry about a war. My instinct tells me she has nothing against the Sand. She will leave us at peace … At least for now. *sigh* We might as well do what she said, enjoy the facilities. I saw a fine restaurant on the way, would you like to try it Matsuri?"

"Oh, I-I … I would love it" Answered a blushing and smiling Matsuri. Gaara let a rare smile spread on his face as he offered his arm to the woman and began to lead her away.

"Well, I'm gonna see if they have hotsprings." With that, Temari took her leave.

"Hmm, might as well see what they have to eat." And with that, Kankuro left the room as well.

* * *

**_Author Notes N°2  
_**

_Well, here it is. Please, review if you liked it. If you didn't, well please tell me why (as long as it's not a problem of pairing)._

_Well, see you next week ^^  
_


	2. Chapter 2

_**Author Note**  
_

_Well, hello for chapter 2._

_First, I'd like to bring up an important point : japanese words don't take 's' when plural. I bring it up because it confused my beta. Speaking of which, I'd like to thank Syynex for helping me improve my work. I corrected my text following most of his recommandations and only kept it as I originaly wrote it when I was certain my version was clearer, but then again, I can be wrong. Now, lets answer to one anonymous reader.  
_

_Guest (you know who you are) : Yes, I could have used Betrayed and Banished some more, but once for each of the main characters seemed enough. Though, I could have added a pet bird and put the same kind of line, like "Unsold, Betrayed, Banished. A lonely pet becomes the Feathered Lord. All shall fear it's beak." Or something like that. Meh, maybe some other time.  
_

_Lastly, I'd like to tell you all how happy I am to see two authors I admire are reading this story. Lord Rahl Master of D'Hara (Heir of Whirlpool is really a good story, you should try it out if you haven't already) and Solvdrage (I've read of few of his stories, and even though the funniest seem to be on hold, he's still awesome).  
_

* * *

The Suna delegation stayed in the Empire for three days before beginning their journey back to the Sand with Fuu and an escort of the best soldiers of the Empire. There were four soldiers with Fuu, one man and three women, all bearing the crest of the empire, a coiled dragon, on their armor. This of course made Kankuro very nervous, especially considering that Fuu and her escort weren't talking much. But that was not enough to stop Temari. As the night fell, they reached the border of Wind country and quickly set up a camp. Temari, unable to hold her curiosity any longer asked the question that was running through her mind.

"Fuu-san, you seem ill at ease, is something bothering you?" This instantly made Gaara cringe, fearing that the War Lady would feel insulted by the lack of a respectful honorific. Instead, Fuu just looked a little more pissed.

"You kidding me? Of course there's something bothering me! While I'm away I can't be with my girl."

"Your … Girl?" Asked Temari, lost between amusement and surprise. A gigantic grin began to spread on Fuu's face.

"Yeah, the hot lady on the shiny chair."

At this, all of Suna's ninja stopped, looking at the mint-haired girl with shock written all over their face, even Gaara had lost his impassibility as nervousness began to take him over. _'She's the Empress's lover, if anything happens to her, I'm losing my head. What next? She's going to say she's here to abduct someone?'_ Matsuri, who was finally coming out of her shock, began thinking back to what Gaara had said a few days earlier.

"Umm, Fuu-sama?"

"Chill out girly, I'm not so formal."

"Err, very well. Umm, Fuu-san, Empress-sama could have sent anyone of some trust to negotiate such treaty, if it's not asking too much, could you tell us why she sent you instead?"

"Simple, kiddo. My hotty of an empress knows someone that we suspect is in the East, so I'm gonna look around. If I find something on the guy, and I see him, I'll jump him, tie him up and bring him back to the Empire so we can have our way with him for a full freakin' week."

Matsuri and Temari quickly blushed a deep shade of red, Gaara face-palmed, chastising himself for asking it while Kankuro muttered "Lucky bastard." Meanwhile Fuu's troops were laughing slightly, clearly used to their leader's antics. Matsuri, finally registering how she had been called, answered back slightly irritated.

"I'm not a kid!" To everyone's surprise, Fuu's expression went from an amused grin to a much more subdued one.

"Have you already had to kill two thousand men to ensure peace?" Matsuri, shocked, could only shake her head. Fuu, with a peined and tired smile looked at her.

"See? You still got some of your innocence, so you're still a kid. And I hope you never lose it completely. Because there's no going back."

Silence settled on the camp. Of course the Suna ninja knew some veterans of the past wars, but they couldn't really relate much to them. And here, before them, was a woman no older than them that went through the horrors of war and far worse. It was unsettling, to say the least. Temari, wishing to change subject, went back to what Fuu had said.

"Errm, and that guy you're looking for, do you have a name or something? Maybe we can help."

"No offense but we're not allies yet. Besides, that would give way too much leverage on the Empress. Add to it the fact that our guy was a tad bit wanted last time my girl heard of him, I'm sure you can understand why I don't really want to talk about him openly." Now Fuu was a bit better but still way more collected than she used to be.

"What do you mean, wanted? Is he a criminal?" Asked Matsuri, now wondering why the Empress would know such an individual.

"No, not in the least. Even if, for some, his very existence was a crime." At this, Gaara immediately tensed.

"He is a jinchuriki, just like the two of us, isn't he?" Fuu barely nodded. It was the last time she talked that night as she lost herself in her thoughts.

* * *

The Wind Daimyo was shifting uneasily on his seat. Seated in front of him was Fuu, smiling as ever with a dangerous spark of mischievousness glowing in her eyes. The man hoped for a trade agreement, but he was not prepared to meet an envoy from the Empire so soon and the woman across from him was fully aware of that. The funniest of it all was that he had Gaara to thank for putting him in such an uncomfortable position since he accomplished his mission. Finally deciding to act, the Daimyo turned toward his military counter-part.

"Thank you Kazekage-dono, you did very well. I will not hold you any longer, as I am sure you are very busy taking care of Suna." Gaara knew a dismissal when he heard one, and this was one of the coldest he ever heard, but then again, this man would be nothing without the constant work of his troops. With a polite bow, Gaara left the room. Turning back to his guest, the feudal lord noticed that her expression had shifted to annoyance.

"You know, if you treat your troops that way, they're bound to turn against you. Maybe you should take a few lessons in management." The Daimyo sat there, bewildered, before growing very cold.

"You should learn some respect girl, be sure that I will mention your behavior to the Empress." At this, to his dismay, her smile came back even wider.

"Well don't mind me, feel free to do so, She'll forgive me after some hot, sweaty ... fun." Said Fuu, almost purring the last part. Hearing that, the man's first reaction was to look at her with saucer-sized eyes. Then the implications dawned on him and a look of horror made it's way onto his face. _'She's the Empress's lover! With such a relation she could get away with anything!'_ It was at this point that Fuu decided she had had enough fun and that it was time to get down to business.

"Alright. I'm here to negotiate trade agreements, so let's go with that. First, I'll need to know exactly what can be sold between our countries. You know, the usual. Raw materials, craft products, those kind of things. Next I'll need the average price, and eventually we'll have to set up the trade taxes, determine the trading routes and build the necessary infrastructures … Wait. Why are you looking so lost? Oh boy, this is gonna take longer than I thought. Do you at least have a councilor that knows something of trading?"

The Daimyo, relieved to find a cue to discharge the affair on someone else's shoulders, quickly sent for his advisers before excusing himself to go 'administrate his country.' As three advisers sat in front of her, Fuu took a deep breath before diving into a sea of information. To the container's dismay, the three old idiots were constantly beating around the bush, for a straight forward girl like Fuu, it was infuriating. After a while she snapped.

"ENOUGH! AAARGH! Can't you people just get to the point? So far all you told me is that you have a lot of freakin' sand and some exotic fruits! Just cut the crap and speak dammit! I'm half tempted to declare war on this oversized beach just to make you shut the fuck up!"

The three immediately began to panic, two of them frantically trying to calm her down while the third went to his lord in an all-out panic. Soon after, the feudal lord came back with his advisor, looking just as panicked, and began his clumsy attempts to calm the imperial envoy. Through this all, Fuu just remained in her seat with a blank face. Finally, as the four men stopped to catch their breath, she stood up, informed her host that she would retire for the night, left the room and settled down in the room that had been prepared for her. After a short while, a howl of laughter escaped her room, shaking the whole palace.

During a whole week, Fuu tried to obtain more information on the Wind country's exportable products, but it looked like the first day had made them overly cautious … and even slower. It was infuriating. The longer she was trapped there, the longer she would be away from Hinata, and she knew she'd never find any intelligence on the Uzumaki her love wanted so much to know about. Finally, after a week, her salvation arrived. The Fire Daimyo came for a diplomatic visit. It was wonderful chance to take her mind off her frustration and she was not about pass it up.

* * *

Sasuke stood at the ready in front of Konoha's extended council. Normally, only the most important and experienced shinobi would gather, but since it was an extremely important affair for the whole village, Tsunade had permitted the civilians to attend too. They all sat in an eerie silence, waiting for Sasuke's report, hoping for the best, but knowing that he had failed. Finally breaking the silence, the Hokage spoke.

"So?"

"He refused." Sighs of sadness were heard, some gritted their teeth. Tsunade was at loss of words, but she needed to know.

"B-but … Why? Doesn't he want to be Hokage? Maybe we could get rid of that seal and allow him to be a ninja again, so why pass up this chance?"

"After what happened on the market place he doesn't want to see blood ever again. He is fine with his way of living. I tried everything I could, but it was all for naught. He has changed. The one I left six years ago and the man I talked to last week are two different beings. Uzumaki Naruto was brash, obnoxious, sometimes idiotic and overly enthusiastic. Namikaze Naruto is calm, quiet, intelligent and wise."

"These are perfect qualities for a ninja! Why does he refuse to return?" Asked a civilian councilor.

"Because of the past and the future. He still resents the village for the way he was treated and feels we are being hypocritical to call him back now that his father is known. He also believes he can help bring about peace from where he stands and that joining Konoha would be wasting such an opportunity. When I arrived, he had already signed a peace treaty between Iwa and Kumo, and when I left Kusa and Ame were requesting his mediation to settle a dispute without bloodshed. He does not wish to fight anymore, he wishes to avoid conflicts."

"Is there any way to convince him to come back?" Asked Choza Akimichi in desperation.

"There is only one." Everyone perked up, looking intently at the Uchiha.

"And … What is it?"

"Find Hyuga Hinata." All hope was crushed and everyone looked down in despair. Except one man.

"Has he any information on the possible whereabouts of my daughter?"

"I do not know Hiashi-sama."

"Very well, I shall go talk to him. Maybe we can find something if we share what we have." Grabbing his cane, Hiashi stood up with difficulty, his daughter Hanabi quickly coming to his aid. Hiashi, in desperation, had joined his clansmen in the search of his eldest and, following one of the few leads they had, had been injured, his right leg crushed under tons of rock. His search had taken it's toll on both his body and mind, leaving him with premature wrinkles and long strands of white hair. Though his search had been a failure, though he had no more leads, though every single one told him it was probably too late, he never lost hope. Tsume looked at the prematurely aged clan head with pity in her eyes.

"Hiashi, she's probably dead. Just stop hoping, it's becoming an obsession." At that, Hiashi just scoffed.

"She is not dead. She is strong. I may not have seen it at the time, but to withstand all of the abuse these traitorous old monkeys bestowed on her and still manage as she did, she has a rare strength. Besides, she is just like her mother, gentle but unyielding. She is alive and I _will_ find her, even if it's the last thing I do." With that Hiashi Hyuga left the council room, supported by his daughter, to prepare for his travel to Wave.

* * *

As it was customary in such occasion, Fuu had been invited to eat dinner with the two Daimyo and, of course, the Fire Lord was very interested.

"The Western Empire? Incredible! I heard many rumors on this place, is it true that the Empress is a ninja capable of summoning dragons?"

"That's true. Some were really arrogant, but she quickly put them back into place with a simple glare."

"A simple glare?"

"Yep, she glared down a 50 foot long dragon. I know it's incredible, and I wouldn't believe it either had I not been there myself."

"How fascinating! I also heard she is blind yet can see in people's souls."

"Well, that's something I cannot talk about; I have to keep everything about her eyes a secret."

"Oh, I understand. If I may ask, why have you come?"

"I was sent here to negotiate a trade agreement but … Well let's say it hasn't gone as planned."

"Oh, I know what you mean. My Wind counterpart is not at ease with trade, he fares much better when managing his treasury. So he delegates the trade negotiations to his advisors, and … well you met them."

"Sadly, I have." At this, the Wind Daimyo began shifting uncomfortably in his seat.

"Oh but I have an idea!" Turning to his host, the energetic old man smiled. "Maybe I could represent both of our countries? We already have trade agreements so I am quite familiar your country's products and the prospect of trading with the Empire is quite exciting. What do you think, friend?"

"Oh, that is a most excellent idea! I know I can trust you on this matter and it will be most beneficial to both of our countries!" Exclaimed the now invigorated leader.

"So …" Interjected Fuu. "I won't have to deal with the three advisors anymore? I won't die of boredome?" The Fire Daimyo chuckled at that.

"No, you will negotiate with me. Perhaps a figure of authority would help in the negotiations, one that is seen by all as wise and reliable."

"Are you thinking of Namikaze-sama? Oh, I was waiting for an opportunity to finally meet him!"

"Yes, he is the one I was thinking about. I greatly enjoyed our talk when I went to meet him and his impartiality will ensure that the negotiations go on flawlessly. Maybe we should take this occasion to strengthen the ties between Konoha and Suna?"

"So the Kazekage and Hokage will come too, very well. I will send word to Gaara, I am sure he will be most pleased, it has been a while since he last had the chance to see Namikaze-sama, and I know they are good friends."

"Excellent, I will also send word to Tsunade, she will be just as pleased. When shall we go?"

"We should go as soon as Gaara arrives with our escort, I will write the letter as soon as we finish diner."

* * *

Tsunade was sitting in her office, looking out the window. Her desk was as clean as the day it was bought, not even a single piece of paperwork was left. When Naruto was banished, she began to do her work to take her mind off her problems and it quickly became a habit, and now she had too much time to think about what she could have done better. She had finished her work two hours ago and was looking since then at the village. A village she didn't see anymore. Everyone knew she was empty, no more than a shell slowly waiting to die. Guilt was plaguing her since she was forced to banish Naruto, but it began to kill her after she banished Hinata. _'Just because I was too fucking drunk to look at what I was signing.'_ She died two years ago when she received a report. It spoke of a woman matching Hinata's description. Dead. And her eyes had disappeared. She had kept the information secret, only telling Hiashi, but he had said it was not Hinata. But she knew. She heard the door of her office open and knew instantly who it was. After all, she was the last to willingly enter the office, something not even Jiraya was doing anymore.

"What is it Shizune?"

"We received word from the Fire Daimyo. You are required in Wave. The Fire and Wind lords will be there to negotiate a trade agreement with an envoy of the Empire and wish to take this occasion to deepen the alliance between Konoha and Suna."

"I see. Any other requests?"

"Yes. The message said to bring along representation from our major clans."

"I see. I will prepare then."

"Tsunade-sensei … Will you please tell me what's eating you? It's been two years."

"… No. You should go. Take your day off."

Without another word, the Hokage got up and disappeared in a swirl of leaves.

* * *

Naruto expected many visitors. Ambassadors, mercenaries, repentant criminals, even some feudal lords. But not Hiashi Hyuga. His very presence brought back the guilt he felt, and he couldn't bring himself to meet his eyes. The tea was now on the table, but no words were uttered. Hiashi, finally grew tired of the silence.

"As much as I enjoy silence, I have not come here for that."

"Then, if I may ask, what brings you here?" Asked Naruto tiredly. This made Hiashi quirk an eyebrow.

"I heard you are searching for my daughter as well, I wish to compare what we know, perhaps it can give us a lead."

Hearing that, Naruto immediately perked up, shame no longer in his eyes. Getting up at blinding speed, he went to his bedroom and opened his desk, quickly gathering what he had and returnied to the living room.

"This is all I have, I already investigated these leads, but maybe one of us has a determining element that the other lacks."

To Hiashi's pleasure, the young man was showing great dedication at finding Hinata. As they compared their leads, they found most of what they had, they both knew. However, little details seemed to indicate a general direction.

"To the west? Why would she go there?" Wondered Naruto aloud. "It was nothing more than a gigantic warzone at the time … But the Blind Empress rose soon after … Maybe she sought solace in the newly created state …"

"If so, then we must seek an audience with the Empress. I will not leave my child in pain, these seals must be dealt with!"

"But … Father … What if she doesn't want to come back?" Asked Hanabi

"… She is still technically banished, so she is free. But I at least, want to free her of her seals."

At that moment, someone knocked on the door. Quickly excusing himself, Naruto went to the entrance, and opened the door. The fist that came through caught him square in the face, breaking his nose before the follow up left hook sent him stumbling into the living room. Through the door came Inuzuka Kiba.

"Uzumaki." Growled the feral looking ninja. He had matured, but his hatred was still burning. Gone was the jacket of his childhood. He was now wearing black pants and sandals, the Konoha flak jacket with fur added to the collar and shoulders, his arms left exposed. Before he could make another move on the blond, Hanabi blocked his path.

"What the hell is wrong with you Kiba?"

"Hanabi … You should be with me, not protecting him! It's his fault that she's been banished!"

"No it's not! I already told you, he is innocent of our elder's cruelty!"

Before Kiba could retort, he was suddenly jerked back, taking a fist to the face from an angry Sakura. Out of respect for the house, though, she controlled her strength.

"You bastard! How dare you! He is just as much of a victim as her!" Shoving Kiba out of the house, she went to Naruto who was nursing his nose, grunting in pain. Cracking an eye open, Naruto looked at his former teammate.

"Oh, hey Sakura. No need to worry, I heal fast. Besides, he's right."

"No he's not! It is not your fault!" Naruto stayed quiet while Sakura was tending to his nose, putting it back in place and healing it. Hiashi, finally getting up, went outside of the house. Kiba's shouts were heard, followed shortly after by a powerful shockwave. When the clan head came back in, he looked slightly satisfied.

"I … convinced … Kiba-san to leave you alone. He shouldn't pull that kind of stunt again."

"Thank you for your concern, Hiashi-sama, but I would have preferred it if Kiba was left unharmed."

"Then you are an even bigger idiot than before." Entering the house was Shikamaru Nara. Gone was the laziness of his childhood, the Jonin was now full of determination. The Nara was wearing the regular Konoha Jonin outfit.

"Hey Shika. Guess I didn't change that much. So, why you all here?" The Nara could only sigh.

"We were sent along with Lee, he is currently keeping Kiba at bay. The Wind and Fire Daimyo are coming here to deepen the alliance between the Leaf and the Sand and to negotiate a trade agreement with the Empire. Heard of it?" Instantly, Naruto was on his feet, a spark in his eyes.

"The Empire? This could be my chance."

"Your chance to what?"

"Hiashi-sama and I crossed our information and we have a lead, Hinata might be in the Empire." Shikamaru just stayed silent, looking at the once proud blond, seeing only a desperate and obsessed man. With a sigh, he exited the room. Naruto was feeling more tired than ever. Feeling a hand on his shoulder, he saw Sakura smiling hesitantly.

"You know … She is a lot like you … So … She's surely out there, waiting for you."

Naruto smiled weakly at his former teammate. "Thanks Sakura. I needed that." Now that the whole ordeal had been closed, Sakura seemed very uncomfortable, no wonder plagued by guilt. Naruto, wanting to relieve her of her burden, thought of the best way to do so.

"Sakura, since you're here, how about we catch up?" Naruto was a little less cheery than he used to be, but still much more than how he really felt. The pinkette, guessing something was wrong, nodded her head in agreement. Motioning for her to follow him, Naruto led her to a nearby lake, talking lightly along the way. All the while, Sakura kept picking up signs that worried her and, once they reached the lake, the nurse in her finally took over.

"Alright, cut the crap, what's gotten you so worked up?"

For a moment, Naruto considered denying anu problem, instead he just collapsed, crying.

* * *

Fuu was feeling like she was alive again. After a whole week of staying still, she could finally move about and she would be damned if she didn't take full advantage of this occasion, but that didn't mean she would be rudely running around screaming childishly in joy, no, she was far past that. She would be flying.

"Aaah! I missed this!"

Before the bemused Daimyo, the mint-haired container was flying above the group, doing loops, spinning in mid-air, and all sorts of other acrobatic figures, all the while smiling and laughing. They had been walking for three days already and the imperial emissary had only touched the ground to sleep and eat, so it came quite as a surprise when they saw her land and begin to walk normally. The Fire Daimyo, curious, decided to inquire as to the reasons of this sudden change.

"Fuu-san? Why are you suddenly landing? Are you feeling alright?"

"Oh yeah, no problem, I'm fine." Answered Fu, waving her hand dismissively. "It's just that Choumei is getting pissed and wanted to sleep."

"Choumei?"

"Yeah, the Shichibi."

"You … Talk to your bijuu?"

"Why, yes! He's quite nice when you get to know him. He can be a bit grumpy but other than that, he's a fun guy!"

The Suna delegation was thrown of guard with that declaration. Yes, they had heard that the War Lady was on good terms with her bijuu, but to think they were actually friends like her words implied? It was unexpected and somewhat alarming. The Daimyo however, were more curious than frightened.

"Really? I always thought the bijuu were bloodthirsty demons, some kind of divine punishment."

"Not at all, they are sentient beings, attuned to the energies of our world. In fact, Choumei told me the Rikudo created them from the original energies of a greater being, the Juubi."

"Fascinating. But then, why did Kyubi attacked Konoha?"

"That's what's bothering Choumei. From what he knows, Kyubi shouldn't even have been free." Answered Fuu, becoming thoughtful. Gaara frowned and the Daimyo looked at each other, troubled.

"What do you mean?"

"Hashirama Senju gave the bijuu to the villages as a mean to ensure peace and from what Choumei managed to gather, Kyubi was kept inside Konoha, sealed in Hashirama's wife, Mito Uzumaki." The Fire Lord's eyes widened at that.

"D-did you say Uzumaki? N-Namikaze-sama is linked to the Shodaime?"

"Huh? How come?"

"Naruto only recently took his father's name." Answered Gaara. "Before, he was Uzumaki Naruto." It was only due to years of training that Fuu kept her excitement at bay at hearing the name of Hinata's long lost crush, instead taking an expression of surprise.

"Huh? But isn't Namikaze the name of the Yondaime Hokage?"

"Yes it is. From what I understood, the Sandaime gave him his mother's maiden name to keep him safe from Iwa."

"But, if he's from Konoha, then how can I trust him not to be partial?" At this, The Fire Daimyo lowered his head, Gaara clenched slightly his fist and all of the Suna delegation showed various level of anger or coldness. _'Yes, go with it, show to a foreign envoy how low this village has fallen.'_

"The reason is … Konoha banished him."

"What do you mean Daimyo-sama? Why would they banish their greatest hero's son? Even if they didn't know of his father, they would have probably seen some kind of familiarity."

"They should have seen it … But the boy was … still is … the container of the Kyubi, and because of that the village hated him and mistreated him. They went as far as to seal away his chakra, destroying any future opportunity to ever use the ninja arts again. *sigh* In the end, he became a wise man known throughout the elemental nations. He even became a hero in Iwa after he pacified their relations with Kumo, he even brought these two villages to sign a peace treaty."

"Wow, sounds impressive. At least I'll be able to relate to him. You know, the Containers stick together thingy. Just to know, where's the guy living?"

"In a small island nation, Wave. From what I gathered, when he was still a genin of Konoha, he and his team saved them from slavery at the hand of a corrupt business man. He was so revered there that they even gave his name to the bridge that connect the island to the main land. When he was banished, they took him in."

"Not caring of Kyubi?"

"No, they don't care. These people are truly admirable"

"Indeed. When shall we arrive?"

"If we keep this pace, in less than a week. By now, Tsunade should be in wave along with the heads of the main clans in Konoha and their heirs."

"I see." _'Hime will want to know about it, a Hyuga presence is bound to cause trouble. Though, if I know her, she would be capable of glaring down even the most hostile Hyuga, and if they try to use the seal, well … surprise.'_

With a somewhat dark look in her eyes, Fuu went on.

* * *

**_Author Note_**_ n°2_

_Well, now that's done. next chapter, my first (short) battle scene and Fuu arrives in Wave. Oh, and first REAL lemon too. See ya next week._


	3. Chapter 3

_**Author Note**_

_Well, third chapter already. I guess I should warn you before hand, I'm not entirely sure I'll be able to keep posting during the coming holidays, but I'll try my best. Also, it seems the last chapter of this arc has some difficulty coming out. That's something else I'll have to work on I guess.  
_

_Now, I'm proud to say that a third great author I follow has joined the reviewers ! Codename-Shadowfox ! You should read his story (same name, lol) if you haven't, it's really a great story.  
_

_Now, I guess I should apologize, the last two times I didn't post so late, but I had a little communication problem with my beta (failed to tell him the doc was sent), so it came back a bit later. Meh, it's still there. Enjoy !  
_

* * *

As they crossed the bridge, Tsunade felt nervousness washing over her. She was determined to tell Naruto the truth, but how would he take it? She wondered if he even _could_ accept it.

Seeing the bridge the first time, she had been surprised to see its name, she had heard of Naruto's accomplishment in these lands but never thought he would be that deeply loved. Now, it was another reminder of her failure. Looking to the end of the bridge, she saw four figures standing at attention. As they came closer, she saw it was her student, Sakura Haruno along with Shikamaru Nara, Rock lee and Kiba Inuzuka.

Through the years, Sakura's choice of dress had changed. She now wore a red haori over her flak jacket along with black pants and low-heeled sandals, on her arms were only plated gloves, her hair gathered in a low ponytail reaching the middle of her back.

Lee, though he kept most of his eternal green spandex style now had a more weathered look, his face now more mature, metal plates protecting his forearms. Looking at the group, she could already guess that Kiba did something brash and idiotic. Finally nearing them, she saw Sakura take a few steps forwards.

"Report." Ordered the Hokage

"Hokage-sama, contact has been established. As expected, clan head Hyuga Hiashi is present along with Chunin Hyuga Hanabi and is currently being housed by Namikaze Naruto. Hokage-sama, I must report that Chunin Inuzuka Kiba showed great hostility to the negotiator."

"Be more precise."

"He punched Naruto before any word could be exchanged."

The glare Tsunade sent to the Inuzuka would have been enough to melt any lesser man, but Kiba had learned to resist long ago and only answered with a snarl.

"That is not all Hokage-sama."

"What now?"

"He informed Naruto of Iruka-sensei's statusand the Ichiraku family situation, blaming it on him."

The moment Sakura finished talking, everyone fell to their knees, trembling in fear. Tsunade was swarming the area with killing intent, the glare she sent to Kiba would have been enough to kill many weathered ninja, and the young Inuzuka would have died had he not faced already the legendary wrath of the Senju princess. But that did not stop him from cowering in fear.

A year after Naruto's banishment, fear had dissipated, leaving hatred in its wake. On the first anniversary of the Market Place Slaughter, a mob of grief stricken villagers formed and attacked the Ichiraku ramen stand, Iruka being the only one to defend them. The three had been trapped inside the building as it was set ablaze by a powerful fire jutsu. The shop collapsed before anything could be done. The jutsu was so powerful that they were burned to the bones. Not even their teeth were recovered from the melted remains of the building. Another cause of guilt for Tsunade, one she had tried to spare Naruto.

Tsunade was about to march on Kiba, intent on ending the man's life when a strained voice was heard.

"Granny … Don't."

Looking up, she was shocked to see Naruto. He was wearing the same clothes as last time she came, but there were bags under his haunted eyes. Seeing him like that, Tsunade felt what remained of her heart break. The boy went through so much pain, and yet there were still some to inflict more suffering on him. And the worst was that Naruto would probably end up defending them. Naruto smiled weakly, a feeble attempt at hiding his pain, before bowing his head.

"If you would follow me, we have prepared houses for you to stay in."

In a deathly silence, the Konoha delegation followed the fallen ninja. Those that still had doubts lost them, for only a man could look so crushed when faced with the death of his loved ones. But Kiba stood his ground, unforgiving, failing to overcome the loss of his teammate, refusing to accept the fact that Naruto was a victim. Following this shell of a man, the clan heads and their heirs really felt for the first time the burden of pain weighing on the young Namikaze's life.

* * *

After a week of travel, the feudal lords finally reached Wave and crossed it's colossal bridge.

"Wow, that bridge is huge." Commented Fuu.

"Indeed Fuu-san, I have already seen it withstand a furious storm, the likes of which wasn't seen in over a century, and not even bulge. It was truly impressive. It's builder, Tazuna-san, often boast, claiming that only divine fury could break his bridge."

"He's not that far from the truth. From what I can see and what my chakra tells me, this bridge is strong enough to endure at least two bijuu bomb, even the hidden villages' main buildings aren't that strong. That's one hell of a piece of work."

The elderly daimyo chuckled as he looked at the imperial envoy who was looking around curiously. It amazed him how such a powerful general could still act so childishly at times. In a way, it was refreshing for the old politician. In his time, the old Daimyo had seen too many betrayals, too much bloodshed, feared too many times for his life and for his family's safety, the innocence displayed in front of him was like a pond of water in a desert. But he was no fool, he could already guess it was a way to escape the guilt great warriors often felt. Hearing something at the front, the elderly man looked up. In front of the group were five men, visibly nukenin belonging to the former Akatsuki if you were to judge on their cloaks. Gaara narrowed his eyes at the sight.

"Kisame Hoshigaki of Kiri, Kakuzu of Taki, Hidan of Yu, Deidara of Iwa and … a genin?" Said 'genin' immediately began screaming in rage.

"Who the fuck do you think you are you fucking freak? I'm the mighty Yazu …"

"Yeah, yeah, whatever. What are you boys doin' here?" Asked Fuu. "You wouldn't attack a poor maiden and two daimyo, now would you?"

"Hn, life is hard." Answered Deidara. "And we need money to live. I'm sure you wouldn't mind leaving a few coins, especially to avoid trouble with us."

"We are all Kage level, after all." Added Kakuzu. Fuu, not really impressed, turned to Gaara.

"Gaara-san, would it bother you if I took care of this trash?"

"Are you sure you don't need reinforcements?" Inquired the Kazekage.

"Oh, you know, I'm not nicknamed the War Lady just for my good looks." Answered Fuu with a smile.

Suddenly, she disappeared, reappearing in the middle of the Akatsuki, a Bo staff in hand. Before any of the criminals could recover from the shock, the staff collided with Kisame's head, the sickening sound of broken bone following as the man's lifeless body flew to the left. With a spike of speed, she struck at Kakuzu, carving five clear holes in the man's chest as he began bringing his hands up.

Hidan immediately charged at her as Deidara took to the air on one of his clay birds. As the immortal closed on her, Fu ducked under the scythe and slammed her fist into the jashinist's jaw before picking him up by the collar and throwing him toward the blond bomber. Faltering under the impact, Deidara barely managed to catch his teammate.

"hn, what the hell is that?! It was supposed to be a freakin' diplomatic envoy!"

"Like I would fucking know, now get me down there, I wanna sacrifice that bitch! She can't do anything to me, I'm a fucking Immortal!"

Looking down, they saw Fuu, her Bo in her right hand, her left arm extended toward them, and in the open palm of her hand, a black sphere of destruction.

"Survive this."

With a mighty roar of pure power, the sphere transformed into a powerful ray of destruction, engulfing the two criminals and disintegrating them. As the frightening attack died down, Fuu let her arm fall to her side before shifting her gaze to the last member of the squad still alive. The boy, no older than 15, was shaking and crying. Seeing the inhumanly powerful Kunoichi landing her eyes on him, he tried to beg for mercy, but his mouth wouldn't obey, only letting out an incoherent mess of stutters and cries.

"Get lost kid." Without another word, Fuu went back to her trek, sealing her Bo in a parchment. Looking at her retreating back for a few seconds, the boy broke out in an all-out sprint, tears flowing from his eyes. Looking behind her, Fuu saw that the Daimyo and their escort had yet to move while her personal guards had already caught up. With a cheesy grin, Fuu turned to them.

"Hey, what are ya waiting for? We gotta go!"

Finally shaking off their shock, they began walking once again, a quick glance to the side informing them that the mighty sword of the mist had already been retrieved and the bodies thrown into the sea. Passing the bloody spot with some uncertainty, they followed the War Lady.

Wave was usually peaceful, but what happened on the bridge put everyone on edge. The shinobi delegation of Konoha h

* * *

ad gathered at the end of the bridge, anxious to know what had caused such a fearsome display of power. Looking around her, Tsunade looked at her troops. The clan heads hadn't changed that much in six years, but their heirs … Ino was now wearing her flak jacket; a purple skirt falling to mid tight, fishnet covering her arms down to the elbow. Choji followed the Akimichi tradition, wearing mighty armor with plates added on the fabric falling on his thighs and back. Shino stood to the side, an open cloak showing his flak jacket underneath it, the hood obscuring his face, leaving only the lower part of his face visible. Heiress of the Inuzuka Clan, Hana stood with pride, her three ninken at her side. Not much had changed in the young woman, having only added a bit of fur to the collar of her jacket.

Looking at her personal escort, Tsunade wondered if she choose wisely to keep this group united. Tenten looked battle ready, but then again, she was Jonin. Wearing a traditional Konoha uniform, she looked deadly. Next to her was Neji, wearing a cream Kimono, his forehead protector proudly displayed on his head. One would think such a state of dress would hamper his movements and make him less efficient in battle, but it was quite the contrary.

Sasuke was there having retired as soon as he returned, the youngest was the new representative of his clan.

Hearing gasps of surprise, Tsunade turned to look at the bridge only to see the escort of the feudal lords coming their way safely. At the front was a mint-haired woman, probably in her late teens, walking toward them without a care in the world. Finally noticing the group of Konoha shinobi, the woman waved lazily her hand and, once at voice reach, greeted them.

"Heya, you're the Konoha group, right? I'm the imperial emissary." Happily chipped Fuu. When she got no reply, she shot the group a questioning glance, tilting her head to the side. "You alright? You all look like you saw some kind of freakin' ghost."

Tsunade took upon herself to answer. "We are alright, thank you for your concern. We, however, are worried about the … Explosion … That happened not too long ago. Would you happen to know what happened?"

"Oh, that. Don't worry big booby lady, t'was just my bijuu bomb." Said Fuu, waving her hand dismissively shocking the whole Konoha delegation with the nickname she gave to Tsunade. Kiba snarled when he understood she was a container before muttering under his breath : "Fucking demon whore." In an instant, the bridge was flooded with hatred and fury as Fuu jumped high in the air, bringing her staff down towards Kiba's head. Before the metallic end of the staff could shatter the head of the Inuzuka, another staff blocked it, the sound of the impact almost deafening. Landing, Fuu glared viciously at the newcomer, snarling in anger.

"Stand aside if you want to live."

"That I cannot do. I understand you must have suffered in your former village, but I cannot allow you to shed blood on this land. This island is a symbol of peace; I will not let blood tarnish it." Looking more at the man that blocked her, Fuu blushed slightly. He was tall, with sun-kissed hair and deep blue eyes, three whisker marks on each cheek and an expression of calm etched on his face, though she could see he went through great pain recently. Bringing her staff back, Fu schooled her features.

"Very well. Out of respect for a fellow container, I will not kill this man." Turning her gaze to Tsunade, Fuu's face hardened once again. "But you'd be wise to keep this fool in check, I am not the most patient woman and neither is the Empress."

Moved by anger at being so harshly demeaned, Kiba failed to listen to reason. "Hah! And who do you fucking think you are? Just some fucking no name d…." Before he could end his insult, Kiba was interrupted by a crushing wave of chakra, leaving almost all on the bridge struggling to keep their footing. When she spoke, Fuu's voice was calm but laced with overwhelming power and authority, and her eyes promised death.

"I am Fuu Takimushi, container of the Shichibi, First General of the Empire, the War Lady of the West, Empress Consort, destroyer of a thousand armies. You would do well to remember it." Letting the pressure fall, Fuu turned to Naruto with a pleasant smile. "Now, Namikaze-san, why don't you give me a tour? I'm a bit curious of this land." Nodding, Naruto began to lead the imperial envoy through the crowd. Once they were far enough, Tsunade sent a vicious glare toward Kiba.

"You fool, you really have a talent to insult those you shouldn't."

"Hey, how could I know the Empress was a demon fucker?" Before Tsunade could express her rage with her fists, a blade appeared against Kiba's throat. One of Fuu's guards, who had yet to leave, was threatening him with her blade.

"Use that tongue of yours to insult the Empress or Fuu-sama one more time, and you will lose it." Without another word, the guards left. It was at this moment that Gaara, who had just joined the group with the Daimyo's escort, decided to talk.

"Hokage-dono, you would do well to keep this chunin in check. Before we arrived, Fuu-san executed four S-rank missing-nin in less than a minute; she is not to be taken lightly. Now, if you will excuse us, we must settle down."

Tsunade left out a heavy sigh. _'It's going to be a very long week.'_

* * *

Walking down the road, Fuu and Naruto talked lightly, mostly about the life style in Wave and the Empire. Slowly, they began talking of the way they were treated in their villages, how they were hurt, hated, and demeaned. The feeling of kinship she felt toward Naruto amazed Fuu, she never thought she would feel so understood again, and yet here she was, sharing her pain with a man she had met barely an hour ago. It was both frightening and comforting, the feeling she knew him when she barely met him. A moment of silence came as they walked along the shore line, enjoying each other's presence.

"What is eating at you?" Softly asked Fuu.

"I recently learned that some that cared for me back in Konoha are dead. Slaughtered a year after I left." Naruto was looking down, the pain overwhelming. Fuu's hand on his shoulder made him look up and see her kind smile of sympathy. Knowing he had someone to share his pain, he felt better. "That's not all, is it?"

"Yeah. *sigh* Soon after I was banished, a girl that stood up for me was banished. From what I gathered, she was branded with two potentially deadly seals … One of them even forbid her to be pregnant. I just … I wish I could protect her … When I think back about it, she was always there for me in the academy … Leaving her notes at my door to help me … That kind of things. I … I even think … She was one of the few to leave me a birthday gift … When no one else would."

Fuu smiled gently. She knew who he was talking about, but she had to be sure. "And … What was her name?"

"Hyuga Hinata. Fuu … You know the Empress, right? Well … Her father and I talked recently and … She might be in the Empire. Please … Help me, I … I just want to find her … To help her … I …"

"There's more … Isn't it?"

"Y-yeah … She … She was the first to believe in me … She had feelings for me … If she still have them, then I … I want to see if …"

"If it works out?"

"Yeah."

"I'll see what I can do, okay?"

Naruto smiled his first true smile in weeks, genuinely happy that his hopes may not have been in vain. They walked a bit more in silence, enjoying the calmness of the sea and the warm feeling of belonging in their hearts. As they walked, they came upon a strange sight, Inuzuka Kiba and Ino Yamanaka talking quite animatedly. Coming closer, they realized they were so engrossed in their talking they hadn't noticed them.

" … I mean, what the hell with you beating Naruto up? Even when I was freaking out about Kyubi I never blamed what happened to Hinata on him!"

"Just leave me fucking alone!"

"Hell no! I'm in charge of your mental health and comfort, so you'd better begin talking dog boy."

"I … I … Arg, fuck. *sigh* I just can't stand it, he just goes on like nothing happened, like he doesn't give a damn about Hinata or Iruka-sensei! That just makes me want to punch him."

"Have you even seen him? I've been here for a week and I've already seen him cry at night three times. THREE. Hanabi told me he had investigated nearly every lead on Hinata they had and even a few they hadn't, he even put three freakin' villages on her trail! As for Iruka-sensei, he didn't know until you dumped it on him."

"Then … Then, if his life is so god damn hard, why doesn't he end it all? Why doesn't he just kill himself?" It was at this point that Naruto decided to interfere, making his presence known.

"Because, Kiba, I cannot. Peace is like the bridge you crossed coming here. It must be built to protect the generations to come. I go on, not to satisfy my pride, but to avoid meaningless deaths in the future, to make sure no child will lose their parents in a war that could have been so easily avoided. Once peace is settled, if I fail to find Hinata, then … I don't know … Maybe." With a heavy sigh, Naruto resumed his walk, Fuu at his side, leaving the two Konoha ninja shocked. Looking at his retreating back, Kiba felt remorse and shame biting at his heart.

"I … I was wrong. You think he'll ever forgive me?"

"I don't know. Try, maybe he will."

Farther down the beach, Fuu and Naruto came to a stop. With a heavy sigh, the blond sat.

"Fuu I … I'm not even sure I'll find her. I … I don't even know why I keep hoping."

"Because hope is part of the human nature. It is one of the frailest things, yet it is almost impossible to completely kill. It does not embarrass itself with rationality, and neither does the hand of luck. She's probably still alive somewhere, waiting for you."

Naruto smiled gratefully, his spirits at least a little bit lifted. Fuu smiled back, speaking softly.

"Hey, you know what? I'll write directly to my girl, she'll help. Okay?"

"Yeah, thank you."

Fuu unsealed a pen and a scroll and quickly wrote down her letter before summoning a little dragon, small enough to coil around her arm. The little reptile, seeing her, immediately began speaking joyfully.

"Fuu-chaan ! Whaddya want? Whaddya want? I can help? Do you have candies? Where are we? Who's he? It's nice! Are there candies? Where …"

"Hey now, calm down Kakeru-kun, you're being rude." Playfully scolded Fuu. The little dragon seemed sheepish.

"Heh, sorry, Fuu-chan. So, who's the guy?"

"A friend, he's like me."

"Ooh, really? Say mister! Say mister! Which one do you have? Is it the ox-squid thingy? No, I know! It's the psycho raccoon! No, the stuck-up ape!"

"Err, none of them. I'm stuck with the fox."

"The fox? But he's the meanest!"

"Kakeru-kun. I called you for a reason you know?"

"Oh, sorry Fuu-chan. So what can I do? What can I do?"

"Alright, give this to hime, will ya?"

"Yessir!"

As it closed it's paw on the parchment, the little dragon flew away in a flash, disappearing from sight at an incredible speed.

"Heh, funny little guy. He reminds me of one of the toads I used to summon. I miss them."

"Hey, no need to be gloomy, maybe I can help? Why can't you use ninjutsu anymore? A seal?"

"Yeah. One that was imprinted in my own blood."

"Harsh. But I already broke one."

Naruto's eyes widened as he looked at the mint-haired woman, not sure if he should believe what she said but unable to contain his hopes.

"You … did?"

"Yeah, but it's pretty painful, and you might need some time before you can actually use ninjutsu again."

Breathing deeply, Naruto considered his options, thinking things over. He came to a conclusion fairly quickly.

"I appreciate what you offer me … But I'll refuse. I think part of why I am so respected is because I can't use chakra anymore. If I must sacrifice my comfort for even one unborn child's sake, I will do it gladly."

Fuu remained silent for a few moments before a sad smile came to her lips.

"You truly are an amazing man. To sacrifice yourself for strangers after all you've been through … You more than anyone else have every right to be selfish, yet … You are not. I don't understand, and probably never will. I can only admire your determination and selflessness."

The two spent the rest of the afternoon talking, getting to know each other a bit more. The more they talked, the more they felt a strange sense of belonging. When the sun began to set, they watched it in silence.

* * *

Miles away, in a barely lit office, a woman was reading the message of her beloved, smiling fondly, then frowning lightly before her expression settled on longing with a sliver of sadness. Sighing to herself, she began to read the letter again.

_Hey Hime-chan_

_Hot blondy located, he's in Wave. Not exactly the knucklehead you told me about, he morphed into some kind of epic wise guy with people from all around coming for advice. I spent some time talking to him. He had it harsh; he's blaming himself for your disappearance and the Ichiraku problem. By the way, doggy boy lost any bit of brain if he even had any to begin with. He was blaming everything on Naruto and called me a 'demon whore'. Naruto saved his ass, he said he doesn't want blood on this Island. Mutt might be forgivable though, he looked like he was repentant last time I saw him, which was not too long before I wrote you. You might also want to know that your family is looking for you. They say it's to take the seals off. I don't know if we should believe them, you'll have to judge yourself, you've always been better at reading people._

_Going back to Naruto, he's depressed. I'm doing my best to cheer him up, but he's still down. Come here as soon as you can, I'm gonna need you on this one. You know, it's strange, I barely met him, yet I feel like I know him so well, and I already feel like I belong with him, just like with you. I think you'll fall in love with him all over again when you come; he's really sweet and such a gentleman. He's the kind of man that can help me with it. I can't wait to see you again my love._

_I'm waiting to embrace you again._

_Fuu._

Putting the letter down, Hinata looked at her work, quickly calculating how much time it would take her and coming to the conclusion that she would be done in five days at the most. Calling in her personal bodyguards, she looked at the two. The couple worked perfectly together and never let her down. Smiling at her longtime friends, she spoke softly.

"We will go to Wave in four or five days to meet an old friend."

They both smiled, knowing fully who she was talking about.

"Very well, we will prepare."

* * *

Three days came and left. Each moment spent outside of the negotiations, the two young Jinchuriki were together, growing always closer. Naruto kept berating himself, he felt like he was letting Hinata down, but he couldn't stop himself from falling in love. Thankfully, the Konoha delegation gave him some room, so they weren't there to add their accusations to his own. Accusations that were plaguing his mind as he looked in Fuu's beautiful orange eyes, slowly gliding forward. When their lips touched, he felt a torrent of sensations course through his body. Kissing her, he felt like jolts of electricity coursed through his nerves, sending shivers of pleasure down his spine. His mind was in turmoil as contradicting feelings washed over him. Love, elation, relief, but also guilt, anger, and pain. He couldn't get out of his mind the fact that Fuu was married to the Empress and that Hinata counted on him. He felt guilt and shame thinking of them, but no matter how much he tried, he couldn't pull away from the soft and enticing lips of the mint-haired woman. His battered heart had found a healing spring and would never let go.

He felt Fuu's hands snaking on his shoulders; the right went to rest on his back while the left dived in his blond locks. His right hands went to cup her cheek while his left arm wrapped around her waist, pulling her closer to him. Slowly, they lowered themselves to the sand beneath them, only breaking their kiss to breathe, and locking their lips together as soon as it was done. There, lying on the beach, they continued to kiss for several minutes. When they finally pulled away and paid a little more attention to their surroundings, they realized that Naruto was on top of her, lying in between her parted legs, pinning her down on the sand. Staring breathlessly in each other's eyes, they blushed when they realized the position they were in, but neither tried to pull away, far from that. With a sly grin, Fuu wrapped her legs around his midsection, pulling him even closer. With a grin of his own, Naruto captured her lips once again as more passion slipped into the kiss, making the mint-haired girl moan slightly.

Desire surging, they both left their hands to wander the other's body, Naruto's following the womanly curves of the general's body while Fuu sent her hands to sneak inside the hermit's kimono to caress his chest. Far from staying idle, Naruto continued to train his body so, while he was pacifistic, he knew how to defend himself, the consequence being, his chest was enough to make all but the most faithful straight woman drool. Following the woman's lead, Naruto slipped a hand under Fuu's shirt, the fact that she left her armor pieces in her hotel room making it easier. Feeling his hand on her, skin, Fuu shuddered in pleasure. Then, deciding to take the lead, she flipped them over, now standing above Naruto, straddling his waist.

With a smile and a quick peck on the lips, Fuu righted herself, leading the blond's hands to her hips. Smiling coyly at him, she began undressing, quickly getting rid of her haori before slowly and sensually pulling her shirt over her head, all the while slowly moving her hips against Naruto's growing arousal, revealing her breast binding and perfect body. Seating up, Naruto placed a hand on her rear, caressing it lovingly while his other hand went to her back, bringing her closer. Placing his head on her breasts, he began to kiss them lovingly through the bindings, reveling in her moans of appreciation as her hands caressed his golden locks, encouraging him further. Fuu breathed the blond's name, causing him to look up to her face. Seeing her nod gently, he smiled lovingly before his hands went to undo her bindings, leaving her chest bare to the world. Seeing her breasts before his eyes, Naruto couldn't contain him and began to kiss them, eliciting more moans out of the mint-haired girl, while his left hand fell back on the girl's backside and his right went to the unattended mound. Marveling at the way her breast seemed to perfectly fit in his hand, he continued to kiss and lick, causing the blushing girl more pleasure as she left out more and more drawn out moans of pleasure.

Growing tired of being the only one exposed, Fuu let her hand fall onto Naruto's shoulder, pushing his beige coat aside. The blond, understanding the unspoken request, helped her remove the troublesome garment, keeping his mouth connected to the beautiful mounds in front of him. Not wasting time, Naruto quickly took the top half of his kimono off as well, leaving him bare-chested too. Seating more comfortably in his lap, Fuu placed a hand under his chin, pulling him off her breasts and raising his face. Resting her arms on, his shoulder, crossed behind his neck, she pulled him closer and kissed him softly as their chests connected, sending shivers of pleasure down their spines. For the two lovers, the universe narrowed down to only the other. They didn't care for what happened beyond that beach, except for one being. Naruto still had the feeling of guilt coursing through his mind, though dulled by the desire and love he felt for Fuu, while the mint-haired container was completely elated, thinking of how her beloved Hinata was right about the blond. Naruto's hands slowly glided down her curves, caressing every inch of skin along the way, before stopping just above her pants. Pulling out of the kiss regretfully, Naruto looked up at his tan-skinned goddess, seeking her approval. With a smile and a soft nod, Fuu answered the silent enquiry. Naruto then began to lay her on her side, kissing her while his hands began to slide her pants off her. As his hands slid down, he followed suit, putting Fuu back on her back and kissing his way down her body until he could finally reach her ankles. There, he took her sandals off before completely pulling her pants off. Kissing his way back up her leg, he made a little stop to kiss tenderly the darkened spot on her white panties, causing a sharp gasp to escape Fuu's lips, before resuming his journey, stopping once again to give each breast a kiss before finally reaching her lips and kissing his lover passionately. Lightly biting her lip, Fuu left her hands travel down Naruto's chest before reaching his waist and beginning to pull his pants off. Quickly dealing with his sandals, she then threw the pants aside, leaving him in his boxers. Fuu reached out, putting her hands behind Naruto's head, pulling him into a kiss as she slowly laid back down on Naruto's coat. For a few minutes, they continued to make out, enjoying the touch of the other's skin, gradually melting in the other's embrace. Naruto was slightly surprised when he felt Fuu's hand slide down his back and into his boxers before giving a squeeze to his backside. Pulling out of the kiss, he looked at her with a shocked face. Fuu looked back, a mischievous smile on her face. "Mmm, firm." Purred the woman before giving another squeeze and bringing him into another kiss. In retaliation, Naruto slipped his hand in Fuu's panties and gave a playful squeeze to her buttock, causing her to smirk in the kiss. Breaking the kiss, they looked at each other's eyes with love and desire.

"Naruto-kun … Take me." Fuu's voice was sensual, so arousing it was almost painful. Naruto kissed her passionately on the lips, keeping the kiss for a few moments before, once again, going down her body, leaving a trail of kiss in his wake. Reaching Fuu's hips, he grabbed the hem of her panties and, kissing his way down her legs yet again, pulled them off. As he crawled back up her toned legs, he was drawn to her core, kissing lovingly at the exposed treasure. When Fuu felt his breath on her womanhood, she shivered, and soon after gasped in pleasure as his lips made contact. He kissed and licked, causing shivers of pleasure to course through Fuu's body. The mint-haired girl wrapped her legs around his head in an effort to pull him closer while her hands rested on his head, encouraging him to continue. As moans and pants escaped her lips, she stared at the orange sky through half-closed lids without seeing it, too lost in the pleasure and bliss. Naruto wasn't as good as Hinata, but he was still very talented and Fuu wanted to bask entirely in his love. She was so far lost in her pleasure that she didn't felt his hands crawling on her skin until they began to fondle her breasts. Soon, Fuu reached her peak and, moaning her lover's name, fell limp on the coat, panting and smiling. Naruto climbed back to her mouth, kissing every inch of her body on the way before pressing his lips against hers.

Positioning himself at her entrance, Naruto gazed into her eyes, seeking approval. With a nod and a smile, Fuu gave it. When the blond entered her, the mint-haired woman left out a long drawn out moan as shivers ran down her arching back. Once Naruto had completely entered her, they took a break to catch their breath and kiss. Then, Naruto began to move, slowly at first, letting his lover accommodate him, but when Fuu began to buck her hips, he knew it was his cue to accelerate, and that he did, still kissing his goddess. For what felt like an eternity, they moved their bodies as one, melting against each other, their tongues dancing together. Fuu's hands were gripping Naruto's shoulders with what little remained of her strength while Naruto was holding her hips, pulling her closer with each thrust. Their minds were only a whirlpool of desire and growing pleasure and their breaths were short. Soon, they reached their peak, muffling their cries of pleasure and love in a kiss. Naruto managed to put them on their side before all his energy left him, and for a few minutes they laid there, basking in the afterglow, their glimmering bodies caressed by the last rays of the retreating sun. But their peace was short lived, as they heard sounds of footsteps.

Fearing what could happen if they were discovered; they quickly gathered their clothes, putting them in the coat they used as their love bed barely minutes before and, once all the garments were gathered, leapt into the trees. Hiding in the canopy, they looked down on the beach, and saw two of Fuu's bodyguards walking out of the woods, the man running after a brunette, both laughing carelessly in the settling night. The woman allowed herself to get caught, still laughing before kissing the man full on the lips and it was quite evident they were eager to indulge in the same pleasure Fuu and Naruto had a few moments ago. Looking at them, the mint-haired woman smiled.

"Hanayo and Kenshin. I'm happy for them. We should leave them alone … How about we go on at your place?"

Naruto grinned, all feeling of shame forgotten for now, and picked her up bridal style before making his way to his home, their clothes still held inside the folded coat.

* * *

**_Author Note N°2  
_**

**__**_Well, now that the chapter is finished, let's go for my little rambling world !  
_

_First, my beta was confused about the word 'Nukenin', so, for those of you who don't know, it's not a ninja with a nuke, it's a deserter, for instance, Itachi and Orochimaru.  
_

_Now, for the eventual Akatsuki fans, I'm not playing down their skills, it's just that Fuu is THAT badass.  
_

_Anyway, see you next week (hopefully).  
_


	4. Chapter 4

**_Author__ Note_**

_Hello dear readers._

_First, I'm sorry, I wasn't able to publish during the holydays, I hope you can forgive me. Hopefully the presence of some characters in this chapter will convince you not to hunt me down to kill me with spoons. *shudders* Anyway, Next chapter might take a bit longer, I'm having difficulties progressing on the Hyuga Reunion, so if you have some ideas, feel free to send them, migth give me some inspiration, did, and I wouldn't have gone so far without it. Anyway, onto the fourth chapter.  
_

* * *

The mighty beast tore through the air at incredible speed, cleaving clouds in half as it flew through them; even the raging storm ahead of it seemed to cower in fear as the fearsome creature flew toward it. Ebiko, matriarch of the Ryu clan, the mighty dragons, hadn't left her beloved mountains in an eternity. She was the mightiest of her kind, 70 feet long, 6.5 feet large, and possessing scales of a deep emerald green with hues of gold.

Many legends spoke of her, yet none could convey her majesty. She was said to have been born to a volcano and the deepest abyss, to be an immortal incarnation of Nature's fury, to be the messenger of wrathful gods, ready to descend upon mankind if it stooped too low. She often chuckled at such tales. Had she indeed been such messenger, then mankind would have been extinct for a long time, and even though she was probably one of the oldest living beings in existence, surpassed in longevity only by the mighty Bijuu, she wasn't immortal like them.

She had been born in the Hebi clan as it rose to sentience, becoming intelligent enough to speak and think. While her brethren retained the predatory mindset of their savage ancestors, she, along with the one that would become her mate, was born with a more evolved mind and an instinctive comprehension of the ways of nature. Through deep meditation, they had attuned themselves to the energies of the world and evolved into new creatures, the very first dragons, marking forever the legends of the snake clan. That was a millennia ago, and many snakes tried to attain their status, but the predatory and power hungry mindset of their kind kept them from becoming what they yearned to be, and very few had actually achieved their transition and all had joined them in their peaceful den, hidden deep into the snowy mountains of the north.

For many years, she had watched the vileness of some humans bring pain upon more peaceful beings, losing her mate to a power hungry fool centuries ago; she had long lost any hope to see men come to peace. Yet, as her road came to an end, a glimmer of hope had appeared. A fragile, weak-looking Hinata glared her first born down. She had come to her, her words were sincere, her voice even, her eyes unyielding, her dream generous, her heart pure. She was willing to bring peace to this war struck land, to make it her home, to save the lives of countless strangers … because it was the right thing to do. Hebiko had gazed into her eyes and soul, and she had seen the pain she had gone through, the will to spare others from it. She didn't need more. Her children had joined the fight, their roars enough to win entire battles, their might displayed only against the most crazed and powerful warlords. She could have called upon their might to win easy victories and take the land as hers by sword and bow in a year but she had chosen to go the hard way, using her mind and tongue to bring entire countries to her side, fighting most of her battles herself along with her armies.

Hebiko and her five children had been there at her wedding; her mate had been allowed to sign the summoning contract, one created especially for Hinata and her line. She considered the young human her friend so when her son mentioned her journey back West to find her long lost love, she immediately decided she would be the one carrying her. All these thought drifted through her mind as the storm dissipated in her wake. She could feel the awe filled gazes of the humans working in their fields far below, her three passengers on her head, a focal point of natural energy far on her left, beyond the horizon, which she recognized as mount Myoboku, home of the Toad clan. They flew over the Earth country an hour ago and would soon reach Wave country. Gazing on the horizon, Hebiko's gaze settled on the little bustling point that was Konoha. They would soon fly over it.

"Hinata-chan." Spoke the serpentine being in her calm feminine voice.

"Yes Hebiko-sama?"

"Konoha is there. Any thoughts on your mind you would like to share?"

"… I do not wish to dwell on what was, my mind is turned toward the future. I no longer feel any attachment to this village, nor do I hate it."

"Very well. We will arrive in about another hour."

"Thank you Hebiko-sama."

"Do not thank me, little one. You gave me some hope for the future and an occasion to stretch my limbs."

Even through the raging wind around them, she could still hear Hinata's soft giggle. Deciding to do her best to reunite her friend with her lost love, she took even more speed, letting out a mighty roar as she flew over Konoha, mentally enjoying the possible reactions of the people below.

* * *

Asuma Sarutobi was walking in the peaceful streets of Konoha, his 3 year-old son in his arms and his wife at his side. It was a beautiful day, everything was calm and the threat of war had all but disappeared thanks to the work of the very one Konoha had scorned, one Naruto Uzumaki. While a philosopher would have talked for hours about whatever this irony could make him think of, Asuma wasn't a philosopher, he was a man that wanted to enjoy his day with his family, nothing more.

Suddenly, all this peace was shattered by a roar from high above. Looking at the sky, everyone in the street, hell, in all of Konoha, could see a snake-like creature fly through the sky at tremendous speed. Around them cries of fear and anguish were heard, panic began to take hold as civilians hurried toward the shelters and children cried. But the ninja population stayed still, warily looking at the passing dragon. Seeing their protectors stand unmoving somehow calmed the civilians, and the panic ceased. Comforting his son, Asuma looked worriedly at the now disappearing dragon.

"I … I think it was headed to Wave."

"Hokage-sama left for a diplomatic meeting there with an imperial envoy some time ago, didn't she?"

"Yeah … You think there might be a connection?"

"Asuma … The Dragon is the emblem of the Empress herself … And she's told to be able to summon them …"

"You think … Oh boy, if this meeting goes awry, we're doomed."

"At least, YOU aren't doomed today since you watched your tongue."

Asuma smiled nervously. He certainly didn't want to anger his wife by throwing profanities near their son. The good news being, he was getting quite proficient at keeping his tongue in check. With a sigh, they resumed their walk, but worry still lingered in the corner of their minds.

* * *

Hinata laughed softly atop Hebiko's head. She couldn't believe such ancient and powerful creature was still pulling these kinds of pranks. Looking at her two companions, she smiled. They were sound asleep, cuddled up to each other. They both wore a dark yellow armor on their torso with shoulder pads of the same color. Underneath it, they wore a long sleeved black coat falling on their tights and back and black pants. Their outfit was completed by black sandals. One had black hair tied up in what one could call a pineapple-tail and the other had long flowing brown hair, their lower faces concealed by skin tight cloth masks.

They came to the West sometime after her, but they hadn't met again before a few years, and by that time, she already was a powerful and respected general. Since then, they hadn't left her side, always fighting for her, to help and protect her. Hinata felt she was blessed to have such friends. Bringing her eyes back on the horizon, she turned her mind to her two loves, happy she would soon see them both again._ 'And if I know Fuu, she'll probably have failed to stop herself from going too far … Looks like I won't have first dibs on Naruto-kun.'_

* * *

In Wave, a couple stirred under the rays of the sun. Letting out a contented sigh, Fuu snuggled a bit more into Naruto. The hermit, absent-mindedly caressing her back, couldn't help but feel like there was someone missing, but he refused to voice these thoughts. Deciding to take his mind off of this, he thought about the treaty between the lands of Fire and Wind and the Empire. They had negotiated everything and the treaty had been signed just the day before. All in all, yesterday had been a good day. _'And a very good night too.'_

"Naruto …"

"Yeah?"

"Thank you."

"Huh? I should be the one thanking you."

"No. *sigh* in fact … You're the first man I had willingly."

Hearing this, Naruto fell silent, the meaning of Fuu's statement hitting him full force. Once he had somewhat digested the information, he pulled her closer to him, into his loving embrace. This seemed to comfort Fuu enough, as she began to talk.

"It was two years and a half ago … The war was nearing its end, we just had a couple warlords left to go … One day, me and my guard left to scout the zone, like we already did hundreds of times before … but this time, we got caught in an ambush … sleeping gas …we had no time to react. When I woke up, I was trapped in the warlord's dungeon … They … for hours. I was trapped in this hell for four days … Hime had to come herself to save me. I lost six friends in that hell … And the remaining four have never been the same. Neither have I."

"Fuu-chan I … I'm sorry."

"Why? For the first time, I can touch a man without thinking of those monsters."

"Yeah … I guess that's good but … What about the Empress?"

Fuu looked in his eyes, uncertainty written on her face. Biting her lip for a moment, she came to a decision.

"Naruto-kun, I'm about to tell you something I shouldn't, I'm doing it out of love … For you, but also for her. I don't want to see you beating yourself up when you shouldn't. No, let me finish. I know full well where Hinata Hyuga is … I married her."

"Y-you mean … Hinata-chan is …"

"Yes, she's the Empress. And before you begin hating yourself for what we did last night, that was part of our plans for the future … well, mostly. Hime-chan was supposed to have first dibs but … Heheh, we got a bit carried away." Said Fuu with a sheepish grin.

"Wh-what do you mean … part of your plans for the future?"

"Well … Hinata's feelings for you never disappeared and … umm … I … kinda … crushed … on the description of you she gave me." Answered Fuu with a blush.

Naruto stared at her bewildered. "Are you telling me you two … were planning on sharing me?"

"Umm … Yeah?" Fuu looked nervously at him, wondering if he would be mad or would look at her and Hinata like they were disgusting perverts. Naruto thought about it for a few moments, still having troubles wrapping her mind around the possibility.

"But … How can you be sure Hinata will like me as I am now? I've changed so much …"

"Naruto-kun, do you trust me?" Naruto looked at her and, after barely a second to think, nodded.

"Then believe me when I say she's going to love you now even more than she did before."

"O-okay."

Silence settled in the room. Fuu was a bit worried, Naruto still looked a bit troubled by this all and she was worried that he might react by rejecting them, the only comforting note being Naruto's arms still wrapped around her. To her relief though, Naruto progressively relaxed and a small smile came to his lips.

"So … I'm gonna get twice the love, huh?" Fuu instantly brightened at hearing this.

"Twice? Oh come on, we aren't greedy." She said with a cheesy grin before snuggling deeper into his arms and purring in his ear "We're gonna give you much more." A Shiver went down his spine as Fuu's hands began to caress his body again.

"Err Fuu-chan … Wh-what if someone from Konoha comes in? They're gonna ask questions and … I doubt any of us wants to answer."

Fuu thought about it for a few moments before sighing. "Guess you're right. I'm gonna go to the hotel and get changed. You wait for me for breakfast?"

"Okay. Anything you want? The pastries are quite good."

"Hmm, no, nothing particular, I trust you. And you'd better take something filling, Hime could arrive anytime now, and after what we did last night … Well, I guess you can imagine." Images filled Naruto's head as a trickle of blood fell from his nose. With a giggle, Fuu got up and quickly got dressed. Leaving a peck on his lips, Fuu went to the window.

"I'll be right back, you'd better behave love." And, with a wink, she was gone. Naruto stayed there for a few moments before sighing, smiling and making his way to the shower. _'I have the feeling that, by the end of this day, I'm gonna be very happy or very tired … Maybe both?'_

* * *

Tsunade stared in awe and fear as the mighty beast glided toward the earth. At first, she had thought Orochimaru's twisted experiments had come back to haunt them in the form of a flying snake, but she soon understood it was one of the legendary dragons rumored to support the Blind Empress. Looking at her right, she saw Gaara and the recently arrived Taki envoy. They were here for Fuu, and with a high ranking official of the empire around, maybe the Empress herself, it was doubtful they would get what they wanted. The arrival of the majestic creature had caused such a ruckus that nearly every inhabitant of the island had come to see, Naruto of course being among them. Soon after, Fuu had arrived and surprised everyone by her choice of dress: a dark green yukata that showed off her figure. As the emerald beast lowered itself to the ground, three figures were apparent on its head. Soon, the dragon had landed, her head still towering some16 feet above the ground. The three passengers leaped to the ground, landing gracefully. There were two women and a man. The obvious leader, the woman in a night blue yukata then turned to the towering beast and bowed humbly.

"Thank you for your help Hebiko-sama."

The chuckle that escaped the now named dragon was surprisingly soft for a creature so big and powerful, her voice strangely akin to that of a grand-mother.

"Do not fret little one, after all you've done for my old heart, it is only normal that I help you. Now, you should go on with your endeavors, your mate is nearly bouncing around the place."

With a giggle, the veiled figure turned to the crowd just in time to intercept a flying and smiling Fuu. "Hime-chaaan! I missed you!" With a chuckle, the Empress hugged her wife back, enjoying the warmth she had missed for so long before murmuring in her ear. "I missed you too, Fuu-chan."

Looking at the crowd, she saw a blond man wearing a kimono and a cloak come forward, smiling calmly, even though her eyes could notice eagerness in his steps. _'She told him, huh?'_ Looking at his face, Hinata couldn't help but be happy her veil was still in place, she could feel a blush like she hadn't had in years crawl up her face. _'Oh dear Kami, he became quite handsome!'_ Her gaze fell on his lips, they were curved upward in a small knowing smile. Once before her, he bowed low, softly grabbing her hand and bringing it to his mouth, leaving a fleeting kiss on her fingers.

"Empress-sama, it is my pleasure to welcome you to Wave country. I hope the facilities will be to your taste, even though we don't have the utmost luxury."

At this, Hinata scoffed. "Please Naruto-san, I fought four years in a war. As long as there is a bed, it will do." The former Heiress marveled at the ease with which she answered him, never before had she been able to talk so freely to him and she was going to enjoy this. With another dazzling smile, Naruto took a step back, but before he could talk, the male bodyguard of the empress did, and his voice caused each and every one of the Rookies 9 to widen their eyes in shock.

"My lady, permission to act freely."

"Granted."

In an instant, Naruto was tackled to the ground by the other guard. As she rose back, she quickly pulled her mask down, revealing one Ayame Ichiraku.

"Naruto! I missed you! Did you miss your big sis? I hope you did! We heard of those treaties you signed, it's awesome! Dad and I knew you'd be awesome! I hope you're gonna come and visit! Oh and …"

"Ayame-chan, take time to breath."

The other guard stepped forward before crouching near the blond, pulling his mask down, revealing the smiling face of Iruka Umino. By now, Naruto was in tears, pulling them both in a bear hug. While the moving reunion was taking place, Fuu had grabbed Hinata's arm and began to lead her to the different delegations and was already done with the group from Suna.

"… And then for Konoha we have big booby Hokage-sama! These two blonds there are Yamanaka, they have a weird fetish, they like to go in people's minds, and then those two are Akimichi, they eat like no tomorrow it's crazy! Oh and the two lazy ass there are Nara, I swear they sleep 25 hours a day! The two wild chicks there are Inuzuka and the mutt there too, and the coated guys are Aburame, never take a bug zapper near them. Oh, and these three are …"

"I know. Hyugas." Hinata failed to completely control her voice and some coldness slipped into it. She stepped toward Hiashi, doing her best to stay calm and keep her voice even.

"Hiashi-san, my consort told me in a letter of your inquiry, it will be discussed later. I do have information on Hinata, but I will say nothing here. Depending on the result of a later meeting, I shall decide if your clan is worthy or not to hear what happened of her."

Before any answer could be uttered, she turned to the two daimyos, both patiently waiting their turns to be introduced to the powerful woman.

"I take it you are the daimyo of Wind and Fire."

"Yes we are, it is an honor to meet you."

"The honor is mine, I heard many praises on the way you lead Fire country and I personally followed your example on more than a few matters." Said Hinata, nodding her head to the Fire Daimyo, then turning to the leader of Wind country. "I have also heard of you, I heard you were able to pull your country's treasury together already even though you have but a few years of reign, a most impressive feat. Though, if I am to believe the letters Fuu-chan sent me, you would do well to change some of your counselors lest your guests kill themselves out of boredom." Hinata couldn't help but giggle when she saw the Wind daimyo blush, both at the praise and the embarrassment. Hinata then turned her head to the last group and instantly her mood fell. Her voice instantly grew arctic cold.

"What, may I ask, is a Taki envoy doing here?"

A man with dark green hair stepped forward.

"We came to retrieve my daughter. Her place is among her people and family in Taki." Fuu's answer was to give him the finger, her face marked with anger.

"Screw you old man! If you think I'm going back to this hell hole, then you're even more of a fool than you were before I left!"

The man turned his gaze to Fuu, frowning.

"You will show me respect, I am your father."

"Oh really? When did you learn? 'Cause six years ago you sure as hell weren't. You want me to go back to Taki? Well bring my word to the fool that is your brother. If I ever set foot in Taki again, it will be to burn it to the ground."

Silence had fallen on the crowd as all watched over the exchange. The eight Taki shinobi knew they were outnumbered and so out powered it wasn't funny anymore. Their only hope was to use diplomacy to bring Fuu back. Fuu's father then pulled his biggest trick out of his sleeve.

"Listen Fuu-chan … I know your mother and I made many mistakes, but we want to atone. We realized how much we were wrong when your brother was born. Don't you want to meet your 4 year-old brother?"

"A boy born to strangers is a stranger too. I have no family ties to you, or anyone in Taki. Get the hell out of here before I Bijudama your ass into oblivion." There was such coldness in her voice, such hatred, only the biggest of fools wouldn't have understood. With a sigh, the man signaled the other Taki shinobi to leave.

"Just so you know … We truly are sorry."

"Too bad I don't give a shit."

With a defeated look on his face, the man left, but Fuu was still fuming.

"The nerves of the guy! He screws up my life for 13 fucking years and he think he'll get me to go back to that freakin' hellhole with just a lil' sorry! Bastard."

A hand on her shoulder caused her to look above her shoulder, meeting Hinata's eyes through the veil.

"Come. I wish to discuss some things with Naruto-san and I want you to be there. After that, we'll relax, okay?"

"Yeah. *sigh* You had breakfast?"

"Are you really asking that to a woman that just got down from a dragon's head?" Asked Hinata amusedly. Looking above her shoulder, she noticed Hebiko had reverse summoned herself to her mountains. But almost immediately, her face snapped toward Hanabi.

"I wouldn't do that, young girl. Many have lost their lives because they looked at my face uninvited." Immediately, Hanabi froze. After a few moments of nervousness, she managed to squeak out a reply. "Err … Sorry? Curiosity got the better of me."

"Oh? I do believe your clan to be known for your impassivity."

"Many things have changed. This is also why we want to have Hinata-neechan back."

"Perhaps. Now Fuu-chan, you were talking about breakfast?"

"Yeah! Naruto-kun and I had decided to have breakfast together; hopefully there'll be enough for three!"

With a giggle, Hinata nodded, then slid her arm around Naruto's as Fuu did the same on the other side.

"You don't mind me tagging along, do you Naruto-san?"

"Not at all, it would be my pleasure."

The three then set out for Naruto's house, not really paying attention to the group behind them. Kankuro was the first to recover.

"Say, didn't she say she wanted to bang a container they knew about? You think that's Naruto? That would mean the Empress knows him. Still, he's getting two of the hottest girls in the world. Lucky bastard."

In Shikamaru's mind, something clicked. _'Blue hair, knows Naruto … Could it be? Troublesome.'_ The Nara heir slipped his hands in his pocket, thinking of a rational way of telling the others, and felt a small paper. Taking it out, he quickly read it, paling.

_Shikamaru, you're a genius, and I know it. You probably already deduced my identity, I want to keep it secret and you're probably too lazy to take my goals into account, so here is an incentive: If you tell anyone, I will mount your balls on a wall._

_With love_

_Hinata._

Acting without thinking, Shikamaru incinerated the paper, gaining the attention of everyone around. Deciding it was safer to talk first, he immediately opened his mouth.

"I won't tell you what was on it, my ability to make children is at stake and I won't risk it for you."

With that, he walked away nervously, leaving a very confused group. Kiba, finally snapping out of his stupor, asked the only question on his mind.

"Am I the only one not getting it?"

Shikaku considered what might have caused his son's reaction and quickly concluded a similar paper might be in his pocket, so he walked away wordlessly, intent on finding a secure place to dispose of the evidence and avoid a very painful and humiliating mutilation. On his way, he passed a skulking Sasuke muttering "Why didn't she mention me? The Uchiha are still important ... I hope."

* * *

Back with the three, they walked silently for some time, Naruto enjoying thoroughly the feeling of being surrounded by two gorgeous women. Then, Hinata broke the silence.

"You told him, didn't you?" The tone was casual, but Fuu immediately tensed.

"Yeah … I … He was hurting so much I …"

"It's okay."

"You're not mad?"

"No. You also got him first."

"… Sorry."

Taking her veil off, Hinata turned to Fuu with a mischievous smile.

"You do realize you'll have to work hard to earn my forgiveness, riiight?"

Fuu relaxed, a smile coming to her lips. "If it's just that. By the way Naru-kun, what do we have for breakfast? Naru-kun? Hey, I'm talking to you!" Said Fuu, shaking his arm slightly, snapping Naruto out of his staring.

"Huh? Oh, sorry, didn't quite catch that."

"… You were staring at her, weren't you?"

"Hey, it's not my fault she became so beautiful!"

"Yeah, quite the eye candy, huh? Anyway, what's on the menu?"

"Well, mostly pastries, tea and coffee." Suddenly, Hinata stopped dead in her track, causing the two others to look at her in surprise. "Err … Hinata-chan, you okay?"

"My cinnamon sense … is tingling." She then proceeded to drag Naruto and Fuu at high speed toward where her instinct was leading her, which happened to be Naruto's house. Stopping before the closed door, Hinata turned to Naruto, a hungry look on her face.

"There are cinnamon buns in there! Whose house is it?"

"Mine." At once, Hinata's arms were around his neck as she kissed him passionately.

"Cinnamon buns for breakfast? You're gonna get banged Naru-kun. Now, you'd better open up, when she's done kissing you, she's gonna want her buns."

Hinata, as soon as she realized she was kissing Naruto, tried to pull away, but couldn't due to the man's arms keeping her in place as he deepened the kiss. Before soon, she surrendered and began kissing back too. When they finally pulled away, they smiled at each other, breathless but happy. But then, Fuu decided to remind them of her presence.

"So, are we gonna take this breakfast or what?"

Both turned to her, blushing a bit. She stood there, her arms crossed above her chest, pouting; her childish expression causing Hinata to giggle.

"Consider this part of the payback for having him before me. Now, as much as I love kissing you Naru-kun, we should really go in and have this breakfast."

With a nod of his head, Naruto opened the door, letting his two ladies in. _'Well, at least I got a kiss and a pet name from Hinata-chan. This day keeps getting better and better'_

* * *

_**Author Note N°2**  
_

_Well, that's done.  
_

_Now, for those of you brave enough like Shadwfox (blessed be his writing) you can look at the two challenges on my profile. I wish I could devellop these stories myself, but I doubt I'd managed to get really far.  
_

_Well, I gotta go, it's already dark out there, and I have an exam tomorrow. May the God-Emperor, the Eight (or Nine) Divines or whoever the hell is up there help me cause I'm gonna freakin' NEED IT !  
_

_Send me good vibes please.  
_

_Until next time !  
_


	5. Chapter 5

_**Author Note :**_

_****Well, first things first, sorry for the first story alert, I just realised I was a bit too .. eager, and remembered that some things had to be modified. For instance, I should have added the author notes.  
_

_Anyway, here's chapter 5. Come to think of it, I thought at first that this story was going to be wrapped up in 3 chaps and a possible epilogue, and here I am, realising that a 6th chap is clearly necessary. Well, I guess it's good for you all ^^".  
_

_Well, onward to the story !  
_

* * *

Naruto was lying in bed, a woman on each of his side, the sheets downright soaked with sweat. For the life of him he could not logically explain how a simple breakfast had degenerated into a scene worthy of the most hardcore book Jiraya could ever dream of writing. He could feel Hinata's head above his heart with a smile on her face, Fuu was busy burying her head in his neck, and hell, even now he could feel his manhood hardening from the still foreign but very pleasurable feeling of two pairs of breasts being pressed against him. And to his embarrassment, Hinata seemed to notice it as well.

"Naru-kun … Again? God, you're insatiable!"

"It's not my fault, I have two naked goddesses pressing themselves against me."

"Flattering won't get you any further." Hinata giggled before laying her head back on his heart. "I'm too tired to take care of you right now, I think I'll take a little nap."

"Yeah *yawn* same here. And you Fuu-chan?" Turning to the mint-haired beauty, he found her fast asleep, nuzzled against him. With a smile, Naruto laid his head on the pillow, closing his eyes and slipping into peaceful slumber.

And right then the door slid open, slamming against the wall, as a breathless and triumphant Toad Sage entered the room. "I found her!"

This immediately brought the three people in the bed back to consciousness and Jiraya near his death. In the instant it took him to scream in pride, Hinata had gathered nature chakra, fashioned it into ethereal looking throwing knives and was ready to throw them, Fuu had unsealed her Bo from God knows where and Naruto had taken the kunai hidden under his pillow. Even though the three of them were still in bed and the two women had a hand paralyzed to cover their chests with the sheets, Jiraya was still on death's doorstep … And he would soon shake hand with the grim reaper if he didn't find a good excuse. But then again, he was Jiraya the Super Pervert, and even faced with a certain death would he perv! So, with a lecherous grin, he took out his notepad.

This did not sit well with Hinata. With a flick of her wrist, the notepad was nailed to the wall, causing Jiraya to look more carefully at her. Then he began to sweat. Hinata was scowling, her eyes colored with red as dark red markings had appeared around her eyes, giving a feral touch to her delicate beauty. From her hair, two red ghostly antlers rose, akin to those of a dragon and, even though the knives in her hand seemed immaterial, they had just demonstrated their harming power.

"Jiraya of the Sannin. If you give any importance to these things between your legs, you will stay silent on my identity and will refrain from putting ANY of this in one of your books. Am. I. Clear?"

"*gulp* Crystal. I'll … Wait for you in the living room … That is if … I can come back later if you prefer."

"No, go in the living room. *sigh* You ruined our nap mood, so might as well see what you have to say." Grumbled Naruto, clearly displeased with the interruption. Hinata looked unenthusiastically at Jiraya before turning to Naruto.

"While you talk to the perv, I'm going to take a shower. Fuu-chan, you join me?"

"Yeah. Who knows, if you're fast enough, you might join us too Naru-kun." With a wink and a giggle, Fuu grabbed her yukata before looking toward the door where Jiraya was looking at them, a bit of drool coming out of his grinning mouth. A vein popped on Fuu's forehead.

"You'd better be in the living room before I get up or Hime-chan's threat will look like a walk in the park compared to what I'll do to you." As soon as she had closed her mouth, Jiraya had disappeared from the doorway. With a satisfied smile, Fuu got off the bed and put her clothes loosely on her as did Hinata, and they walked to the bathroom. Naruto, with yet another sigh, got up, dressed quickly and went to the living room, sitting in front of his perverted godfather.

"Okay, what exciting news do you have for me?"

"Err … Well … Now it's a bit late but … I was here to tell you I had found your little Hyuga. But it looks like she found you too."

"Yeah. Anything else?"

"Well … I thought you'd want to know and … I really didn't expect her to be there. Just so you know, I saw the Hyuga on the way and Hiashi's getting restless. Your little girlfriend would do well to talk to him or there's bound to be trouble."

"She'll deal with him when she so choose and the way she wants. I'll try to advise her, but the choice still belongs to her."

Jiraya nodded. His gaze then fell on some discarded pastries.

"You have plans for these? I didn't have breakfast."

"Help yourself. I'm going to have my shower. Stop that line of thoughts right there."

Without another word, Naruto disappeared in his room, leaving a pouting Jiraya.

* * *

After throwing the perverted sage out of the house, the three realized they had spent the whole morning having fun together and so decided to have lunch. Hinata insisted on cooking and, Fuu's praises helping, Naruto accepted to taste her cooking for himself. To say Naruto loved her cooking would be the understatement of the millennium. After lunch, Hinata finally accepted to see the Hyuga representatives, but under her own terms. Meaning, with her face veiled and her two lovers nearby to help restrain her if need be. Once the room was prepared (read once they got rid of the scent) Naruto went to find the three Hyuga, leaving Hinata and Fuu to talk.

"So … Hime. What do you plan on telling them?"

"I don't know … They are my family, but their rules have hurt me. I really don't know what to do. Honestly, I hoped I could avoid this meeting."

"Yeah, but think of your sister, don't you think she'd like to know how you're doing?"

"I don't know. We never talked much. I'm not even sure she has the same idea of family I have. They always were so cold … they have been for years. What could have changed in barely six years?"

"A lot can change. Just look at yourself! Do you really think you would have done six years ago what we did this morning?" Joked the mint-haired woman.

Hinata looked disapprovingly at Fuu. "We were thirteen."

"You know what I mean. If you were introduced to your 13 years old self, she would probably try to hide behind something. Is it so difficult to imagine that, maybe, they care? Remember what Naruto said? He told us Hiashi had followed every lead he could find, he even got his leg crushed while looking for you!"

"And he crushed any hope of happiness I had in my childhood! That man has to answer for eight years' worth of hell! Fuu, you should know by now. Forgiveness is not something I grant easily, especially not to those who hurt me. Besides, I don't think you have any advice to give me on this issue, or must I remind you the way you told your father to fuck off this morning?"

"It's not exactly the same."

"How so? He screwed up your childhood. Well, my father did the same. He's lucky I even let him talk."

"My father threw me out when I was four, I doubt Hiashi did the same. And while it's true he regularly beat you up, you never left this 'training' on the verge of death. Am I wrong?"

"Fuu. I made up my mind. They should have cared when I was still in Konoha."

"And Naruto?"

"He cared! He fought for me in the chunin exams!"

"Are you sure it wasn't his sense of justice? Are you sure he wouldn't have done that for anyone?"

Hinata tried to answer, but no retort came to her lips. Anger began to boil in her as she shot a glare to her wife. But it receded as soon as it came and Hinata's gaze lowered.

"So … You think he pretends to love me? It would all be a lie to avoid hurting me?" Whispered the former Hyuga. Fuu began to panic slightly, rushing to comfort the depressed Empress.

"No, of course not, you know he loves you. I'm sorry, I … didn't use the right words. What I mean is … You don't know how important something really is until you lose it. It's the same with people. What I'm trying to say is … Everyone you knew had a shock when you were banished, including your clan, so they probably miss you … At least, give them a chance."

"Fuu I … I understand but … If I must give them another chance, then why didn't you give one to your father too?"

"Because he didn't give a damn. I had some time to gather some information, and Taki didn't even lift a finger after I left. They didn't care about where I was until Iwa threatened them on a border issue. They want my power, not me. But your father doesn't want to force you back into Konoha, he just wants to make your life better."

"How?"

"He thinks you still have the seals, and he wants to take them off."

"I … I …" Hinata took a deep breath to calm herself. "Alright, I'll try to stay calm." At this moment, someone knocked on the door. As the door slid open, Naruto's head popped in. "They're here."

Taking one more calming breath, Hinata put her veil on. "Send them in." Naruto nodded and stepped completely inside, opening fully the door for the three Hyuga. Now that she had time to carefully look at them, she noticed several things. First were her father's limp and the cane he used, along with the fact that Hanabi was helping him walk, then the change in her father's hair color. In itself it was surprising, normally a Hyuga's hair greyed only around 65-70, yet her father, who was only in his mid-50s, looked as old as her grandfather last time she saw him. It really shocked her to see just how defeated and tired Hiashi looked. Then, she noticed how much Hanabi had grown, she had left a 9 years old girl and here was a 15 years old chunin. Her brown hair was still long, falling to the small of her back, she was wearing a cream kimono top with a dark blue sash to keep it closed, her headband tied around her neck, her fishnet shirt visible near her throat. Dark blue pants and black sandals completed the outfit. Neji still had his hair long and his headband on his forehead but now wore cream kimono top and pants along with … a black … man skirt? Or apron? Seeing this, Hinata had to stifle a giggle.

"Hyuga Neji, I had been told of your skills, but not of your choice of dress. In a clan so strict and traditional, cross-dressing must be frowned upon. Your life must really be hard." Teased the veiled empress in a mocked compassionate voice, causing the Jonin to blush furiously, spluttering denials while Hanabi snickered not so discreetly. This caught Hinata's attention. _'Since when is Hanabi acting this way?'_

However, Hiashi had something else on his mind and, not paying attention to his daughter teasing his nephew, he began to kneel, suppressing a grunt of pain with difficulty, but it was enough for his daughters to take note and for Hanabi to rush to his side. "Father! You shouldn't exert your knee like that!"

"Hanabi, I'll do anything necessary to ensure Hinata's well being. If it means I have to suffer a bit, then so be it." Hanabi, seeing her father was being stubborn, sighed and helped him to kneel. Hiashi was quickly joined by his daughter and nephew, and as one the bowed to the ground. Then, his head still on the ground, the aged clan head spoke to the Empress before him.

"Lady Empress, I am grateful that you hear us out, for I do not deserve such honor. I have no doubt Hinata told you of my failure as a father. It is a mistake I wish to correct as much as possible. Two seals were placed on Hinata, one preventing her from bearing a child under the penalty of death, the other allowing any member of our clan's main branch to execute her. I wish to remove these seals. I am not asking for her return to the clan, I just ask you to please tell her we have a way to remove them. Lord Jiraya of the Sannin studied these seals and found ways to remove them. I beg you to let her know of it, Naruto-san can guarantee our good intentions. I know she probably doesn't want to see me again, but please, let her know that her sister and cousin miss her dearly … And that I do to."

Hiashi had spoken in a subdued but controlled voice until the end, when his voice cracked and sorrow tainted his words. Hinata was at a loss of words, not knowing what to do until one thing came back to her mind.

"You said you have a way of removing the Caged-Bird Seal, what of the Branch family?"

This time, her answer came from Neji, the Jonin untying his headband, revealing a forehead devoid of any seal.

"There is no longer any Branch your highness, only the Hyuga. The elders treachery, though it brought us great pain, also gave us an opportunity to make things right." A bitter smile came to the man's face. "In the end, Hinata did free us of our chains, but the price she had to pay was too high. Please, allow us to alleviate her pain like she did ours."

By now, Hinata had to actually struggle to keep herself in line, but she reigned on her feelings and turned her gaze to her sister.

"And you Hyuga Hanabi, what are your reasons?"

"She's my sister and she's in pain, I don't need any other reason. But if you really want to know, I wasn't the best sister possible to Hinata, and I want to make it up to her. I … I just want my sister to be happy. Please, let us help her."

Hinata tried to remain calm, but tears were threatening to flow out of her eyes. Fu and Naruto had told her her family missed her, but she refused to believe them, her pain and anger were preventing her from doing so. But seeing them like that, she couldn't deny it anymore. Taking her veil off, she stood up, making her way to her family on shaky legs. The three Hyuga, their head still bowed, did not see her face, it was only when they heard her voice that they looked up.

"You changed. You all changed so much."

Hearing the emotion and familiarity in the Empress voice, they looked up hesitantly, gasping when they saw the uncovered face of one Hyuga Hinata.

Hiashi had troubles believing it, so he activated his byakugan, intent on confirming what he saw. And it was indeed his estranged daughter standing before him. Tears began to pour as relief washed over him. His daughter was safe. Hinata kneeled in front of him before embracing him. Hiashi began to hug her back, cradling his long lost child and rocking softly.

"Hinata … You're safe … thank the gods. I am so sorry my daughter … Please forgive this old fool for his sins …"

"Yes *sob* I forgive you Father *sob* I forgive you."

Hanabi, kneeling near them, was quickly integrated into the hug, crying just as much as her father and sister. Neji looked on, waiting patiently for his turn to hug his cousin. He wanted to hug her immediately, but knew he should let Hiashi and Hanabi enjoy this familial moment. On the side, Naruto and Fu looked at the reunion with smiles on their faces.

"Well, that went even better than what I hoped." Said Fu.

"Yeah. At least, now they are at peace."

The mint-haired woman hummed her agreement. Suddenly, a soft knock on the door was heard.

* * *

'_Man, this really is awkward. What the hell am I gonna tell him? I'm pretty sure he's gonna forgive me but still, I can't help but fear he'll be too pissed at me. Shit. Well, too late to go back.'_

The door slid open, and Kiba Inuzuka hesitantly looked at Naruto.

"Err, hey Naruto. Um, could we … talk a bit please?"

The blond looked behind him, soft sobbing sounds coming from inside, before turning back to him.

"I'm afraid my house isn't really available. But I guess we could walk a bit."

While Naruto was stepping out of the house, a hand appeared on his shoulder as Fu appeared, frowning.

"Naruto, I don't think it's a good idea. The guy visibly has a thing for hurting you."

The blond answered with a gigantic smile, not unlike those he often gave, back at the academy.

"Hey, no worry, he didn't hit me this time, he just wanna talk."

Kiba winced slightly. _'I've really been an ass on this one. Damn.'_ The Jinchuriki of the Shichibi released Naruto's shoulder but didn't seem anymore reassured, sending a glare at Kiba before retreating inside the house.

Naruto began to walk and Kiba fell in stride, not really sure of how to begin this conversation. The Inuzuka was grateful that Naruto didn't press him, but he really had no idea of where to begin. _'Oh screw that, might as well face it head on.'_

"I'm sorry."

Naruto, in surprise, stopped. "Beg you pardon?"

"I said I'm sorry. My behavior for all these years … it was unjustified. I've been a complete asshole; I was blaming you for something that wasn't your fault. I … I'm sorry. I know I've probably gone too far to be forgiven, but at least I should give you my apologies."

Kiba lowered his gaze to the ground, expecting a refusal. When he felt Naruto's hand on his shoulder, he looked up, and to his surprise Naruto was smiling kindly to him.

"It doesn't matter. To tell you the truth, I was blaming myself equally, I had to have my butt almost kicked to let go of the grief. Oh, and also learn just what happened to Hinata-chan."

The happy smile that overcame his face showed Kiba that he had been wrong for all these years.

"She … She's fine?"

"Yup."

"Do … Do you know where she is ? C-can you get me a pass to the Empire? Please, I gotta see her, she's like a sis!"

"Hey, calm down. Let's go back, we'll see there. You okay with that?"

Kiba nodded and followed Naruto back to his house. _'Heck, that went much better than I thought. The guy is really too forgiving for his own good.'_

When they finally reached the house, Kiba had the surprise of his life. Dressed as the Empress, a woman he could guess was Hinata, was tapping her foot on the ground in an annoyed manner.

"Naruto. May I know why you left with Kiba? I expect a convincing answer."

"Well … He said he wanted to talk and …"

"And WHAT? He already hit you several times, he could have done so again!"

"You do realize that it's kinda part of my job to listen to everyone?"

"Is that a reason to take inconsiderate risks?"

"Hina-chan, please, Kiba may have hit me but he never tried to kill me. I'm safe I tell you."

Hinata's face turned worried. "Naruto, I've been his teammate long enough to know what he's capable of."

Kiba sighed heavily, finally rowing Hinata's attention to him.

"I've really fucked up big time, huh?"

"Yes Kiba, you have. And while Naruto is an all forgiving idiot …"

"Hey!"

"… I'm not. Give me one reason not to obliterate you."

Kiba stayed silent, thinking of his reply. Then, with a sigh, he prepared to face judgment.

"I don't have any. You have every right to be pissed at me, or to hate me. If it was only me, I'd let you kill me, but as things are, I'm engaged, so I can't really let you do that. I know you'll probably never forgive me, and I deserve it. I'm just … sorry."

Kiba kept his gaze on the ground, not daring to meet her eyes. Hinata, on her part, was still affected by the reconciliation with her family, and so she decided not to be hasty and think about it carefully before coming to a decision.

"I'll think about it. Now Naruto-kun, I think you should come inside, Father still has trouble believing our future marital situation."

Naruto grinned amusedly and entered the house after his soon-to-be-wife. As an afterthought, Hinata poked her head through the door and looked at Kiba.

"You can tell the others of who I am, there are no more reasons to hide that anymore."

Then she disappeared back into the house. Kiba stood there for a few moments, sighed, and began walking back towards the hotel the Konoha delegation was staying at. Then, something occurred to him.

'_What does she means by future marital situation? She's married with Fu. Wait, she said 'our' … You mean?'_

Kiba stopped in shock. Then he shrugged and called it karmic reward. On his way back, he passed the bridge and saw a fast moving speck running towards him. Squinting his eyes, he saw silver hair and a Konoha headband. As Kakashi neared, he suddenly let out a mighty roar.

"MY PORN SENSE IS TINGLIIIIING!"

The grey haired jonin sped past a wide-eyed Kiba at such speed that the Inuzuka nearly lost his footing. Looking past his shoulder at the disappearing form of Kakashi, Kiba wondered once again just WHY all the experienced jonin he knew had to be so … unique. Shaking his head, he resumed his walk. After what he had heard and see, he didn't really paid attention when a green blur crossed the bridge at high speed bellowing something about a 'Youth Sense' tingling.

* * *

"WHAAT?"

That, was Sakura. Kiba looked at the assembled Konoha delegation, and more precisely at his friends, even if they had drifted away due to his treatment of Naruto.

"You heard me, Hinata is the Empress, and she plans to marry Naruto, and probably share him with Fu-sama."

Sakura and Ino had their jaws on the floor, Tenten's eyes were the size of plates, Choji's bag of chips had fallen, Shino simply stood there, as unreadable as always, Lee was in tears, sprouting nonsense about the 'flames of youth', shikamaru didn't appear surprised at all, and Sasuke …

The Uchiha was desperately trying to hide in the closet … and failing miserably.

"Yo Sasugay, whatcha doin'?"

"HIDING! If she finds me she'll skin me alive! She's bound to be pissed at me! … And don't call me that!"

Kiba chuckled at the duck-haired man. He was amusing sometimes, acting stupid like that. It was a bit like having good old Naruto around once more, but not as fun as him. As if reading his mind, Sakura landed a glare on him.

"Wait a minute … How do you know that?"

Deciding that beating around the bush would be beyond stupid, Kiba answered honestly.

"I went to talk to him. An encounter earlier in the week … opened my eyes. So I … kinda … went to apologize."

A huge silence settled over the assembly. Kiba Inuzuka wasn't really the type to publicly admit his faults, for him to admit this before them, he must really feel guilty. It was so shocking that Sasuke stopped trying to hide.

Kiba was beginning to feel very uneasy, so he mentally blessed profusely the bird that was coming closer, while wondering why it sounded almost like screaming ma …

A grey and green blur smashed through the window and into the wall, leaving a dent. Before the wide-eyed crowd could take a closer look, a completely green blur did the same through the other window of the room and met the same wall. It all happened in less than two seconds. Now that both blurs were somewhat static, they could see it was … Hatake Kakashi and Maito Gai. And less than a second after they arrived, two furious voices filled with feminine righteousness bellowed in rage:

"AND DON'T YOU TWO FREAKS DARE COME NEAR OUR MAN AGAIN!"

The leaf assembly looked at the two teachers in silence as they got up groaning.

"Damn … And they call it the Gentle Fist … There's nothing gentle about it …"

"This youthful mint-flower … truly packs a punch …"

Tsunade, still shocked to learn that Hinata was alive, addressed them in a pissed off voice.

"Alright, why the hell are you two here?"

"My Porn Sense was tingling!"

"My Youth Sense was tingling!"

"My troublesome sense is tingling." Sighed Shikamaru.

"What the hell?" Interrupted Kiba. "Am I the only one not having a tingling sixth sense?"

After a few moments of silence, Choji slowly raised his hand.

"My tummy is tingling."

* * *

**_Author Note 2 :_**

_Well, we're done with chap 5.  
_

_For the tingling senses, you can thank SpartanNinja, it's his idea ^^  
_

_Now, I'll try to work as quickly as possible on chap 6, but I can't promise anything. I'll try to add more tingling senses, but I'm not sure I can give one to everyone.  
_

_Well, till next time.  
_


	6. Preview

_**Author Note**_

_Well people, here I am again, it's not a chapter, barely a preview, but I feel you deserve to know whats comin. The good ews is that have the whole scenario down for chap 6, the bad is, I still have write it, and that may take a while ^^" _

_Anyway, I'd like to talk to you about reviews. Recently, I recieved two very different reviews, almost antithesis._

_First, there was an anonymous review sayig this :"You just don't get rid a holder unless there's a damn good reason. And the Sasuke one has been done to death.  
Story equal fail town. Population too many to count."_

_Sorry, but I have trouble seeing the point of this review. It's not that I disagrea or find it stupid or anything, I simply don't understand at all, so if someone could please tell me what that person meant ? But even without the complete sense, I can say this is a bad review. The point that displeases the reader isn't explained, there's just nothing but "you suck". Well so do you, f I was posting reviews like that I'd be ashamed._

_Now, there is another review I recieived, this one was actually useful. Lydia-hood posted an interesting and accurate, if a bit rough, explanation on my inconsistencies in chapter 1. It was a bit hard to admit, but I now realize I haven't completely thought through the blood seal thingy. So, it is a problem that wil be addressed in chap 6. _

_Now, let us continue onto this teaser, shall we ?_

* * *

Naruto was walking on the beach, humming happily to himself, engrossed in his own little world. When the canister began whistling, it was too late.

* * *

"Where do you think you're going?"

"Show them why we survived the war, and take our man back."

* * *

"You always knew better than I how to entertain this kind of public, love. Just don't overdo it."

"Yeah, yeah, I get it; I'll leave the island in one piece … mostly."

* * *

'_I need your help … Kurama.' _

* * *

"_Why mister? I..." A wet cough threw crimson on his blue sleeve. "I've been good."_

* * *

"W-what kind of m-monsters are you?"

"We…"

"…are…"

"Shinobi."

* * *

_**Author note** **2**_

_Next chapter, I'll try my hand at battle, and not just a paragraph, no, this time it will be an all out battle, with blood, gore and dozens of dead. A shinobi's hands are always bloody, it is a truth to never forget. Come witness the wrath of an empress !_

_Untill next time!_


	7. Chapter 6

_**Author Note**_

_Well, here's chapter 6, last chapter of this ... arc ? Story ? Thingy ? Anyway, next will be the epilogue, and if enough people ask for it, I'll post chapters on past events (Sasuke asking for advice, maybe some episodes of the unification war, this kind of things)._

_You may think I'm pulling a Kishimoto on you at one point, but please forgive me, I won't do it again._

_Also, in this chapter is my first real try at a battle scene, so please give your opinion on both what was good, and what could be better._

* * *

Getting a hold of herself, Ino smiled devilishly. With an evil glint in her eyes, she muttered under her breath. "My gossip sense … is tingling. Gossips on an Empress's sex life, that would be my ultimate accomplishment." Quickly grabbing Kakashi and Gai, she threw them on an empty couch before taking her place in the doorway.

"No one's leaving this room until I have a complete report on the possible activities of these three. I. Want. Gossip."

With a sigh, Tsunade got up and went to the door. Stopping in front of her fellow blond, she challenged the youngster with a glare. It didn't take more than a second for Ino to shift to the side, saluting and leaving passage for the Hokage. With a smile, Tsunade took the civilized person's exit. She could have used the window, but she felt it was unbecoming of Kage. Once she had exited the hotel, she decided to forgo any dignity and sped to Naruto's house.

She reached her destination in barely a minute, the shack wasn't that far inland and she knew the way. Once there, she tentatively approached the door, but hesitated before knocking.

"Something on your mind, hime?"

Looking above her shoulder, she saw Jiraya in a tree, leaning against the trunk and standing on a branch.

"You know what's on my mind. I thought she was dead."

"But she's not."

"Yeah, and I'm happy for that. But … I can't help but wonder … What if she blames me?"

"Only one way to find out."

Tsunade nodded, and knocked. After a moment, the door slid open and revealed an impassive Hinata. As soon as the former heiress saw the Hokage, her face relaxed.

"Oh, it's you Tsunade-sama, please come in."

The blond nodded and stepped inside the house, then in the living room. There, she saw Hiashi, more shocked than she had ever seen him, sitting on a couch, with Hanabi patting one of his hands and Fu on the other side, snickering.

"What's the problem old man? There are plenty of people who'd love to have two in-laws with the same child, so stop gapping like that will ya?"

Of course, this did nothing to improve the poor clan head's situation, but it did increase Fu's laughter, Tsunade herself couldn't help but smirk at the display. Hinata walked past her and went to sit in Naruto's lap, the blond being currently seated in an armchair. And Neji, leaning against a wall, was looking at the scene with a bemused expression on his face. Once seated, Hinata turned to her consort.

"Now Fu-chan, what did I tell you about teasing Father? He is a very traditional man, give him some time to accept the concept, will you?"

"Yeah, yeah, sorry, can't help it."

Satisfied with the answer, Hinata looked back at Tsunade and noticed she was still standing in the doorway.

"Tsunade-sama, why don't you take a seat?" Said Hinata, motioning for a free armchair – probably the one Hinata had been seating in – And with a nod, the Slug Princess took place in the chair, settling her gaze on Hiashi.

"How long has he been like that?"

"Hmm … Maybe a minute or two. Don't worry, he'll come around eventually. When mother told him she was pregnant with Hanabi he was shocked for a whole day. I see you are here alone, I take it this isn't a social visit?"

Tsunade took a deep breath to calm herself.

"Hinata … I'm sorry."

"For banishing me? It wasn't your fault. You were dealing with pain the way you were used to, it's just the Hyuga Elders' fault, they took advantage of it. And they paid for it, even though I feel they should have suffered more. Well, what's done is done."

Tsunade, nodded, feeling relieved, but she couldn't get herself to relax, the guilt just wouldn't go away, but it was to be expected, she had lived with it for too long for it to go away after just a few words. With a sigh, she turned to Naruto. The blond was happily resting his chin on the Empress's shoulder. Never before had he looked so happy, and Tsunade was relieved to see that things were looking up for him. Turning back to Hinata, she made a quick decision.

"I understand you are going to marry Naruto, correct?"

"Well, we plan to take so time before that, but yes, it is planned, he proposed to both of us this afternoon, he even bought the rings already."

"Hey, my girls deserve the best!" Exclaimed Naruto with his patented smile, causing a smile and a blush to appear on Hinata and Fu's faces.

"I see." Said Tsunade, a smile playing on her lips. "Well, I'd like to be able to visit the knucklehead when he lives in the Empire, and I'm pretty sure I won't be the only one, and there's also the matter of your friends, I think they'll want to be at the wedding and be able to visit from time to time."

"Nothing a good little treaty can't take care of. Though, I'd really like to wait until tomorrow before negotiating that, I'd like to spend some time with my husband-to-be."

"Certainly." Tsunade smiled. "I can imagine how much you want to keep him nearby after being separated from him for six years."

Hinata smiled and nodded. The evening was spent talking lightly and trying to get Hiashi over his shock, with little success. It didn't take long for Jiraya to join the group once Hinata began cooking dinner with Naruto's help.

* * *

The next morning, Hinata, Fu and Naruto got up a little bit early to prepare for the day. Fu decided to go with Hinata to the negotiation and, since his two lovely ladies were gone, Naruto decided to have a little walk on the beach.

The blond was in an exceptionally good mood this morning and the beautiful scenery did nothing to dampen his spirits. The waves were softly crashing on the sand, the sky was a beautiful shade of blue, and there were barely any clouds. On the horizon, he could see one of the many boats that came to the island, a very rare sight from this beach, away from all maritime roads. He noted he'd have to tell the Raikage and the Tsuchikage to stop the search. So lost was he in his little world, that when the canister began whistling, it was already too late.

* * *

It took some time for Naruto's disappearance to be noted, but once it happened, Wave descended into chaos, everyone searching for the young man who brought peace so easily. Finally, just after noon, a canister was discovered on a beach near the north of the island, and soon after, the whole Konoha, Suna and Imperial parties were gathered on the beach, looking for clues. The canister bore the emblem of a pirate gang known to abduct nobles to exhort ransom.

Looking at the canister in her hand, Tsunade swore under her breath, no one knew what harbour these pirates used, and they operated along the whole coast, meaning they didn't even had ways to narrow the search. Looking at Hinata and Fu as they silently conversed, she wondered what thoughts went through their heads.

As soon as Naruto had been reported missing, they had gotten out of their formal yukata and adorned their battle clothing. Fu's shirt now had three small plates the same colour as her chest plate on top of each sleeve and two equally green pauldrons shaped as horn beetle heads topped her haori, the blond kage noting with interest that her armor seemed sturdier. While impressive, the change wasn't too out of place, she had already been seen in battle clothing, this was just a bit heavier, Hinata on the other hand. She now wore a long dark blue kimono top that opened on the front past the belt, revealing matching pants. Her chest was covered with a dark purple breastplate, pauldrons shaped as dragon heads resting on her shoulders, three purple plates resting on her sleeves just below them. Resting on her forehead, a golden circlet representing a dragon clutching the Pearl of Wisdom in its talons completed the outfit.

When they stopped talking, Hinata took a few steps forward and suddenly began pulsing with energy, catching the attention of every person present on the beach. Red ghostly antlers akin to those of a deer grew on her head, dark red markings appeared around her eyes, almost like a blood red fire spreading on the skin around her eyes. She then stepped closer to the place the canister had been found at, and kneeled. She concentrated for a second, and then her head snapped up suddenly, looking straight at the see, to the north.

"You got it?" Asked Fu, some worry in her voice.

"Yes. His chakra trail leads North."

Fu nodded and the imperial couple began to walk towards the sea.

"Wait a moment." Called Tsunade. "You don't know exactly where their base is, they have easily two hundred men and you won't have any back up. And that's not mentioning the distance you'd have to cover!"

They both turned their heads to look at her, a confident smirk plastered on their faces.

"We already crossed larger distances before, and if the sage mode doesn't betray me, something it never did, then they are on Whirlpool island." Answered Hinata.

"Now, if you'll excuse us." Said Fu. "We have to get our man back and show exactly why we were feared in the West."

Before anyone else could say a thing, their chakra flared, as two insect wings appeared on Fu's back and Hinata was surrounded by a thin cloak of red chakra. In a burst of speed, they were gone, leaving only two trails of raised water in their wake.

* * *

They were running or flying at a speed never achieved before, tearing through the air at such high speed that they actually had to use chakra to force air to come into their lungs and to keep their bodies in one piece, something that was made somewhat easier by the natural or demonic chakra flowing through their bodies. But they didn't care about that, they had a goal, one that came steadily closer. After a full hour of running at such frightening speed, they finally caught a glimpse of their goal. Whirlpool. As they grew closer, they began to slow a bit, allowing the tunnel vision effect to recede somewhat. The closer they grew, the easier they could see an odd harbour made of wooden structures gathered in a stone fortress, probably raised with the use of ninjutsu.

Fu began weaving through hand seals, using her most powerful original technique, the most powerful Raiton technique ever created. As she held the last seal, a ball of lightning began forming in front of her mouth, growing in size quickly, until it was the same size as her head, then it suddenly shrank and she closed her mouth around it. Her cheeks puffed, and she released the attack, letting lose the closest thing to a bijudama a human could make. The compressed ball of lightning flew through the air at an even higher speed than they were, impacting the wall of the fortress. In a great explosion of lightning, the wall exploded inward, peppering the buildings behind it with fragments of stone, killing many and deafening the survivors.

Fu took some speed, dashing through the dust cloud, dispersing the wings and unsealing her bo before slamming down on the ground, sending a concentrated wave of lightning around her to cover her entrance. Soon after, Hinata joined her. Looking around, they saw the pirates and the occasional deserter gather around them. A good part of them was still deafened and they looked at them with terror in their eyes. They couldn't comprehend what was happening. Then, they understood that there was only two women attacking them, and they assumed the attack that breached the wall had to have taken a huge amount of their reserves. Confidence began to flood them again.

Hinata looked at them with disdain. She had fought men far worthier during the war, and she felt insulted that these fools thought they could fight them. Turning to her consort, she smiled.

"My dear, could you please take care of them?"

"Yeah, why?"

"You always knew better than I how to entertain this kind of public, love. Just don't overdo it."

"Yeah, yeah, I get it; I'll leave the island in one piece … mostly."

With a smirk on her face, Hinata began walking towards the entrance to the fortress. A group of thugs moved to block her, she just kept walking on, her feet moving at a paced rhythm, the confident grin never leaving her face. When the first thug was close enough, she swiped her right hand in an upward movement, starting at her left hip and slashing diagonally, conjuring a sword construct made of natural energy in an instant. As the man died, she swirled to the side, avoiding the spray of blood. Calmly resuming her walk, she noted with amusement that the other had stopped their charge upon seeing their comrade's death. She took three more steps before they charged again, at once this time. The smile stayed on her face as around twenty men charged at her with various weapons.

Summoning a second sword, she calmly walked towards the charging men. A spear was thrust in her direction; she beheaded it by twirling one of her swords, spinning the tip around the same sword before slamming the flat of the blade on the butt of the recently shortened spear, sending it sailing through the air and the skull of the spear wielder. She spun to the left, avoiding a strike from a tetsubo*, beheading the wielder, then ducked under the slash of a sword, sidestepping and rising as she ran both her blades across her enemy's belly, disembowelling him. Parrying a jian* with one sword, she cut the arms of a bulky axe wielder with the other, causing the big and heavy weapon, raised high, to fall on his head with a wet cracking sound. Spinning to avoid the blood gushing from the severed arms of the falling body, she ran through the sword wielder before resuming her walk.

Throwing her left blade into the air, she summoned 5 throwing knives constructs, sending them towards her assailants, killing one man for each knife, before catching the sword. Having no more use for the knives, she let them dissolve. A man ran to her, a knife in each hand, certain he would be able to kill her with speed; Hinata sidestepped him, letting him run on her blade as it cut through him, leaving the two halves fall to the ground. A woman, one of the few female pirates, charged at her, nunchaku spinning wildly in her hands. She attacked with the left, only to have Hinata cut effortlessly through the chain, letting the weighted end sail straight into the face of one of her allies trying to surround her, killing the man. Before the shocked woman could recover, Hinata had spun around her, running her sword across her throat. Leaving the woman to bleed out, she turned her attention to the other thugs still in front of her.

Ten steps, twenty seconds, twelve dead and she hadn't even been hit by a droplet of blood. In the background, she could hear screams of pain, agony and fear, explosions of fire and thunder. Looking carefully over the opposition, she saw fear and confusion. It was a mix she knew very well, she would often see it on the faces of elite guards when she would lead a small strike force to take out annoying warlords back during the war. With a vicious smile, she dashed forward.

Not expecting this, her frightened enemies couldn't react in time. As she flew past the two first, she cut cleanly through their necks. She threw one of her blades into the head of a bandit a bit far on her left, then grabbed the one closer to her and threw him onto the sword of one of his comrades, using the distraction to rapidly stab through both men's hearts. Four men remained. All of them were shaking in fear, and it was clear they had already sullied themselves. With another dash, Hinata was upon them, summoning a new sword and using them both to cleave two bandits in half at their midsection before jumping high, avoiding the blood. As she descended towards one of the two last bandits, he turned to run, not realising it was useless. Seeing no reason to tire herself, Hinata used the man's neck as a spring board, propelling herself with a pulse of chakra, breaking his neck in the process, before slamming her right foot into the face of the last man, using another burst of chakra to launch herself into a back flip as the man went sailing into and through the wooden wall of a nearby building.

With the road cleared, Hinata entered the fortress.

* * *

Naruto was staring at the door. He was in a cell without any window, and judging from the stench of blood and sex, it's precedent inhabitant had quite an unpleasant stay and was a woman. He had awoken an hour ago, and since then, had carefully contemplated his options. Before losing consciousness, he had enough time to see the canister and recognise the symbol. He knew of these pirates and didn't doubt one moment that they would kill him if they didn't get what they wanted. Or at least, they'd try, especially once you considered the loud explosion that shook the place just a minute earlier. With a sigh, he accepted the fact that only one possibility remained. He'd have to fight. Sitting on the floor, he dived into himself, to face his tenant. As he appeared before the mighty cage, his gaze locked with the red eyes looking at him curiously.

'_I need your help … Kurama.'_

A sinister grin appeared behind the gates.

'_**About time you asked, Kit.'**_

* * *

Yeijiro Isayama sighed for what felt like the hundredth time today. The idiots up there had managed to blow the armoury … again. The hierarchy really needed to realise how dumb it was to leave explosive tags in the care of barely educated thugs. He was one of the few ninja to be part of the pirate fleet and, in all honesty, he wished he wasn't. He was originated from Kiri but had deserted to stick with one of his friends. When the guy tried to kill him for fun, it was already too late to turn back. Since then, his life had been a long hell. Always on the run, always fighting with scum to have enough to live, hunted by both the Hunter Corp and other deserters to cash in on the small bounty.

His mind turned to the prisoner. After the explosion, he had been sent to see if he was still in one piece. It saddened him, this boy, Naruto he believed was his name, was known throughout the elemental nations as a mediator and a peace bringer, a great man. The leader, he didn't even remember the bastard's name, said it would be their greatest hit and that it would bring plenty of money to spend. But the guy was so bloodthirsty it was downright impossible for him to let the boy leave this island alive. This Naruto would die on this island, probably in his very cell, like the girl that preceded him in there.. Such a waste. Once again, Yeijiro cursed his luck. If he hadn't been ill last week, he would have been able to go on a raid and slip by, he would have then rushed to Wave to warn them before setting off to the new Empire and start anew, but it wouldn't be happening anytime soon. Yeijiro felt his heart drop even lower. He had seen too much meaningless death, too many innocents killed for nothing but the pleasure of a few sick men. And even his hands were stained in blood.

"_Why mister? I." A wet cough threw crimson on his blue sleeve. "I've been good."_

_The little girl collapsed, her empty eyes still locked on his, her face still bearing an expression of confusion._

Yeijiro suppressed his tears. This little girl had been nice and generous, giving him food and shelter for the night. But her village had to be attacked, and he had been forced to fight alongside the other pirates. And he had killed her, he hadn't even realised it at the moment. They didn't even know each other's name, yet she was so important to him, a symbol of purity. She had been his only unjustified kill, one that would always haunt him. One he could never forgive himself. Like countless times before; he took what little comfort he could in the fact that he could at least bury her.

With yet another sigh, he opened the door to the cell. But as soon as the door opened, pain erupted in his chest. He could only see a mask in the image of a fox and the cold blue eyes behind it. A soft chuckle escaped his lips. He was dieing.

"Looks like … our little hermit is a bit more." Yeijiro slumped against the hermit as the young man pulled him into the cell, his hand still buried in his chest. Before Naruto could talk, Yeijiro did.

"There are five guards … at the end of the corridor. One shinobi. He *cough* isn't very skilled. After that there is *cough* the mess, no one should be there. They ate an hour ago. After that *cough* w-watch out for *cough* the lead guy when you *cough* go into the throne room. He's a former Iwa jonin. *cough* Bastard's got *cough* three other jonin level deserters. *cough* If you need weapons I *cough* got some kunai and shuriken, couple of tags to."

The hermit looked at him for a few moments.

"Why are you helping me?"

"'Cause your worth *cough* more than me. If you *cough* get out of there *cough* then I'll have done one good thing *cough* in my shitty life. Now get going before I *cough* kick your ass for ruining my shirt!"

With a bloodied smile, Yeijiro shakily handed his weapons to the young hermit. Before exiting the room, Naruto looked at him once more, hesitated for a second, then nodded in gratitude before taking off. Screams of surprise and a few wet gurgles told Yeijiro what he needed to know: the kid had made it.

Darkness slowly fell down on him. He could feel himself vanish, but he felt at peace. In the distance, he heard the little girl again …

'_Come on Yei-nii-san! Stop sleeping, you said we'd play ninja!'_

* * *

Sojuro Hashimoto was NOT having a good day. Yet it had started so well, with the abduction of the hermit going without a hitch, but now an unknown force was attacking his base! He had been forced to barricade himself in the throne room with his guards and wait for the enemy. He knew nothing of them, not their numbers, not their skills and certainly not their objective. There was only one thing that Sojuro hated more than a day without blood, and it was uncertainty. He had recalled the shinobi in his forces from throughout the base to defend the throne room, the easiest position to hold in the fortress, with only one access to the outside. So far, the only one not to report had been the dead, those trapped in the courtyard and these two idiots in the prison. Suddenly there was screaming outside of the room, first screams of anger and hatred, then the roars of techniques converging in a closed space, a brief moment of silence … Sojuro's face paled as a cacophony of pained and frightened screams began to mix with the sound of a blade tearing through flesh.

* * *

Hinata was spinning, disembowelling a man before running a kunoichi through. She leapt, avoiding a sword strike, before kicking the man's head, sending a burst of chakra to fry his brain. Spinning in mid air, she turned her swords into throwing knives that she quickly threw on the gathered shinobi, too fast for them to evade, killing three more. Summoning two new swords, she landed behind a man, cleaving him in half while spinning and beheading another. Stepping to the side, she allowed a water jutsu to pass by her and slam an enemy into a wall, cracking it and snapping the man's spine. Twirling her blades into a reverse grip, she thrust into the two men approaching from behind before dashing forward, taking two heads in the process before twirling her swords back into their normal position and relieving a man of his arms and piercing his heart. With a kick, she sent him into the one behind him, crushing him against the wall. Seventeen. Only seventeen somewhat professional shinobi to stop her, it was laughable. She almost felt insulted, but then again, she didn't have time to warn about her arrival, so it wasn't as fun as it could have been. Turning to the last remaining ninja, she smiled sweetly, causing the already shaking man to take a few step back, ending up pressed against the door. Surprised, he turned his head to see what was blocking his retreat. When he turned his ead back, Hinata was upon him, a savage smile on her face, as she delivered a powerful kick to his chest, causing his ribs to collapse, crushing his heart and throwing him through the door.

The empress calmly strode into the room, still untouched by blood. The man standing in front of the throne paled when he saw just exactly what happened to his troops. He couldn't comprehend how a single girl could have slaughtered so many veterans; she had to be kage level at least. Then, she talked.

"You are to stand down and surrender or kill yourself. Failure to comply will be met with gruesome death."

Sojuro met the gaze of his three guards, and hardened his resolve. She was alone, they were four. The idiots in the corridor were canon fodder, nothing more, just a bunch of talentless losers, he had beaten each of them! So what if she had killed them? He'd just have to kill her, and then he'd have his fun with her, and he would rebuild his pirate band.

"Who the fuck do you bitch think you are to order us around?" He bellowed, satisfied with the confidence in his voice. But it dropped when she chuckled darkly.

"I … am an Empress." The air grew cold around Sojuro when he realised just who was standing in front of him. "My word …" In a flash, she had disappeared, reappearing in front of one of his guards, her swords in his guts. "… IS LAW!" Taking her swords out, she spun them in her hands, severing the man's arms at the shoulder before beheading him and back flipping out of reach, all of that before even a drop of blood could jump out of the wounds.

At this moment, one of the walls exploded, stone shrapnel flying into the room. Sojuro grabbed one of his surprised bodyguard and used him as a shield for both him and the remaining one, leaving the poor lad he held to be peppered by stone fragments When he finally let go of the body, he saw a scene from his worst nightmares. In the opening stood Fu, the ruins of the fortress burning in the back as columns of black smoke rose from the harbour. Looking at the courtyard, he saw countless red stains. While Hinata was completely clean, Fu hadn't bothered to evade the blood splatters and a part of her clothing was covered in red, and the vital liquid was slowly dripping from her bo staff.

"Aah, I love killing canon fodder; it's so much fun, they never know what hit them!"

Now Sojuro knew he was dead. Even he had heard of the War Master, and seeing her in person, he now believed the rumours saying she had demonic blood, for only a demon could slaughter so many men and come out unscathed. But life clearly didn't have enough and wanted to make his day worse, because the door leading to the prison chose this very moment to explode as a limb of blood red chakra shot through it, grabbing his last guard and corroding him to death as he howled bloodcurdling screams of agony. Through the remains of the door, Naruto strode calmly, covered in a blood red cloak of chakra, a kitsune mask covering his face.

Fu and Hinata were surprised to see him using chakra, but they were happy to see him alive and well. As for Naruto, he was pleased to see that his two lovely ladies had come to his rescue. Without talking, he simply made his way to stand alongside Hinata, as did Fu. Sojuro, now thoroughly shocked, simply collapsed on the throne, looking at the three beings in front of him.

"W-what kind of m-monsters are you?"

"We…" Said Naruto

"…are…" Continued Fu

"Shinobi." Concluded Hinata.

Naruto began gathering chakra as Fu and Hinata went through hand seals at high speed. They all finished at the same time, discharging their techniques on him.

**Katon: Fox Fury**

**Katon: Dragon's rage**

**Futon: Seven Winds Blade**

The techniques intertwined, becoming one pillar of bright blue flames, incinerating Sojuro in an instant and partially melting the throne. They looked at their work for a moment before turning to the gaping hole in the wall and walking out and down the wall.

"So, Naru-kun, something you want to tell us?"

"Heh, I kinda hoped not to have to use Kurama's chakra again. Besides, if it gets out that I can use chakra, it may cause problems."

"Hmm? You can use chakra besides the Kyubi's?"

A small silence followed.

"*sigh* Might as well come clean right away. Just so you know, I planned to tell you. No one knows, but Kurama trashed the seal on me when I befriended him, about three years ago. It was painful, and took some time, but it was done. And honestly, if the asshole who sealed me really knew what he was doing, it would have been irremovable."

Fu stopped dead in her track. As the other two turned to see what was wrong, they saw a grin full of pervertness and a small trickle of blood running down her nose.

"Soo, you can use shadow clones again?"

A small nosebleed afflicted both Hinata and Naruto at the same time when they realized just what she had in mind. Hinata then grabbed Fu's arm and proceeded to drag her toward the middle of the courtyard with Naruto following close behind. Once there, she summoned a dragon and requested him to fly them back to Wave.

Tsunade and the Suna and Konoha delegations had remained on the beach, waiting and hoping that Hinata and Fu had succeeded. When the dragon appeared, everyone gathered, trying to see how many people were on it's head. Of course, the smart ones asked the Hyuga. Hiashi, being the most powerful, activated his Byakugan and slightly overcharged it in order to see farther. After a quick look, he deactivated his eyes to avoid damages, and left out a relieved sigh.

"Hiashi, does that mean …" Tsunade didn't know if she should be hopeful of not.

"It seems I will still have grandchildren." Was Hiashi's answer, but it was enough for everyone to understand, and many cheered. When the dragon was close enough for the three people to jump off, there were a few more cheers as they landed on the beach, but the mood was a bit lowered by the cheer amount of blood on Fu's clothing. After the whole situation was explained, Naruto's using of chakra being left out, everyone calmed down and let the three go for Naruto's house to have a well deserved rest and meal.

* * *

**_Author Note n°2_**

_Well, that's it. So, what do you think ? Good ? Bad ? Awful ? Bordering on criminal ? _

_And for Naruto having access to chakra, YES I know it's a shitty trick, but Lydia-hood did have a good point whe (s)he pointed out that the 'ritual' was the story's weak point.  
_

_I could have placed an explenation on how the ritual allows to gather nature chakra to perform complex tasks or whatever, but even so, the jonin was still a problem. So, I came up with this solution. Far from ideal, but it gives some logic to the thing at least. Meh, anyway, what do you think?_

_Oh, and happy birthday to me ^^ As of today, around 2 AM, French hour (GMT + 1:00) I'm 21. One more step towards senility :p_


	8. Epilogue

_**Author Note**_

_And here is the epilogue of the story. I'm sorry that it's so short, I just couldn't get much more out of me, but hey, the end is still open !  
_

_And thanks to Uzumaki Ricky for telling me I posted this in the WRONG fic (I feel so stupid)_

* * *

Fifteen years had passed, fifteen years of peace. Naruto was now Emperor Consort and without a doubt the most envied man in the world, along with a successful author of action literature. Right now, he was looking at his wives and children from the exterior walkway of their inner garden.

With Hinata, he had Hikari and Genji, both wielding the Byakugan. Hikari, 9 years old, was like a mini Hinata with blond hair and her father's bubbly behaviour, but happily she had inherited her mother's smarts. Genji on the other hand was a 7 years old, blue-haired version of Naruto even though some of his Hyuga heritage was showing, calm and highly intelligent, and with an unhealthy love for pranks.

With Fu, he had three children. The first-born, elder of the five, was Asaki, the 10 years old boy having inherited both of his parent's enthusiasm and joy, making him a very lively kid and an excellent brother, always ready to help his younger siblings. He had blond straight hair and his mother's orange eyes, his face looked almost like a carbon copy of his father's when he was a child. Next were his twins, Hiroo and Keiko, both 6. Hiroo was a happy child whose face was a mix of his parents, with Fuu's tan skin and hair colour, but his father's unruly hair. His eyes came from his mother, but his smile was definitely Uzumaki. Keiko looked a lot like her brother, the main difference being that her eyes were blue. Other than that, she was slightly calmer than Hiroo, but not by much. She also was more responsible, somewhat. Well, if you can call a 6 years old responsible.

Right now, the five were running around, laughing and playing. Quite a peaceful day. They had yet to make a prank. Naruto looked fondly at his family, something he had desired all his life, even though he never imagined it would come to him in such a fashion.

The world was at peace too, he had managed to keep his place as a reliable mediator and had managed to bring peace to the elemental nations. After that, it didn't take long for them to request integration into the Empire. Now, the whole continent was unified and at peace. However, they couldn't afford to be completely at peace, the nations from overseas weren't as peaceful, and tales of wars reached them through the merchants. For now, they seemed content fighting among themselves, each continent being an arena, but no one knew when they would turn to others for conquest or when their wars would spill on them. So, they kept a strong military structure. Besides, it helped dealing with bandits.

The knowledge of his ability of using chakra had spread and, despite his fears, it hadn't caused any problems. Well, there was that one incident when he was helping Gaara negotiate with that Terumi fellow from Kiri … After that, he had learned never to leave shadow clones at the mercy of his girls when he was negotiating. It could be way too embarrassing.

Pulling himself out of his musing, Naruto stepped into the garden, quickly drawing the attention of the whole family. His children ran to him, screaming in joy at the sight of their daddy. They all began talking at the same time, babbling about their day, causing Naruto to erupt into laughter.

"Hey, hey, not at the same time now, I can't understand! Come on; let's go see your mommies, alright?"

Of course, the children all agreed happily, running back to their mothers, the younger racing with each other to know who would get to be hugged first. Naruto shook his head, an amused smile on his lips. While Fu distracted the children, Hinata sent a curious glance toward Naruto, it wasn't exactly like him to miss an occasion to hug his numerous children. Smiling softly, the blond tapped the side of his head, prompting her to activate her byakugan. Upon spotting the people Naruto had sensed, a knowing smile made it's way to her face. Naruto joined his wives and children in the shade of a Sakura tree, sitting happily among his family. Genji, being the first to reach his lap gained the privilege of being the first to talk about his day, mostly complaining about the boring stuff he had to learn.

The family's attention was suddenly drawn to the entrance of the garden, as one five years old Emiko Hyuga-Sarutobi came in running and calling out her cousins. Almost in an instant, the five Uzumaki kids were around their cousin, hugging her and talking excitedly with her. Soon after Emiko, her parents followed, and the imperial … err … triple? Went to greet them.

"We weren't expecting you until tomorrow, what happened? Left earlier?" Asked Naruto.

"No, it's just that Emiko was being impossible, she was always asking that we go faster. She's quite eager to see you guys." Answered Konohamaru, smiling broadly. They then looked at their wives, the three of them engrossed in a heated discussion punctuated by evil chuckles and sinister smiles.

"Here they go again."

"Last time they had this kind of discussion, Homura had a heart attack. What did they do this time?"

"Koharu tried to push the new daymio to declare our independence. It didn't go well, but Hanabi-chan wants to make her pay, something about undermining the Hokage's authority."

"I guess that's one more retirement for medical reasons then."

"Yup."

"Well, I won't complain, these two old geezers really need to learn when to let go."

The afternoon was spent watching the six children playing around the garden, laughing at each other's stories, big or small. Looking at the setting sun, with the children soundly asleep in their parents' arms, Naruto felt at peace.

'_Yup, the beginning was shitty as hell, but the ending sure is good. One fine fairy tale.'_

* * *

"You are to surrender your petty kingdom to our Lord; should you refuse, you will meet your demise. You will abandon your sinful customs and your devilish sorcery. Bow! For the gods walk at our side!"

Hinata looked in disdain at the fool that dared talk to her in such a manner. He was dressed in a long black robe, with white shoulder pads bearing the crest of some kingdom or church from overseas. He and his followers had arrived a few days earlier, demanding an audience. And now here they were, giving her orders. She got up from her throne, walking calmly toward them.

"Many before you tried to subdue me. They wanted my wealth, my power, my body. You are no different. Like them all, you will fail." Turning a lazy eye to one of the acolytes, she created a crimson sword of natural energy, causing the superstitious outlanders to look at her in fear and hatred. "Bring this message to your sovereign; the Empire of the Sixth Path will not bow, and if he dares to attack, he will be crushed. Tell him exactly my words as you uncover your leader's head."

"You can't do that! D-diplomatic immunity …" Babbled the man, suddenly very afraid. He was interrupted by Hinata's laugh.

"I am a kunoichi, I killed thousands. One little priest won't change a thing. As for diplomatic immunity, you forgot one thing …" Moving as lightning, she removed the man's head from his shoulders.

"I am an Empress. And my word ... Is law."

* * *

**_Author Note N°2_**

_And here it is, I hope you like it. Sorry if you think it's too short, writer's block was being a bitch. From here, we can go on with various omake and flashters (mix of chapter and flashback). If you have ideas, feel free to tell._

_Also, I kind of feel lonely lately, no new review, I feel kind of abandonned. Remember, reviews are a way to reward an author, without any we begin to wonder if people are still reading our stories, at least I do. So please, leave a little something, even a little word would be nice, just saying hi even. Please *puppy eyes*_


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